Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the posts at senior level within the United Nations administration held by Irish citizens; and the procedure for nomination, secondment, and general filling of such vacancies as arise at the UN and its agencies. [38366/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Senior officials are defined by the United Nations as Deputy Secretaries General, Under-Secretaries-General and Assistant Secretaries-General or those of equivalent rank. There are currently two such posts within the United Nations administration held by Irish citizens. Ms Patricia O'Brien is Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and Legal Counsel. Mr Peter Sutherland is the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration. While Mr Sutherland is listed as a senior official, he is based in London and works on a pro bono basis. An Irish national, Patricia O'Donovan, also occupies the post of Executive Director for Management and Administration in the International Labour Organisation, and as such, is a senior official as identified above.

Appointments to positions as Under-Secretary-General and Assistant Secretary-General, as well as to those of heads of the United Nations programmes and funds, are the personal responsibility of the Secretary-General, in accordance with his position as Chief Administrative Officer of the Organisation under the UN Charter. In deciding on appointments at the senior and policy-making levels, the Secretary-General takes into account primarily the qualifications and experience of candidates for Under-Secretary-General and Assistant Secretary-General and higher levels, with due importance given to ensuring equitable regional representation. Confirmation by the General Assembly of appointments made by the Secretary-General may be required in certain instances, for example, in relation to the post of Commissioner-General for the UN Reliefs and Work Agency (UNWRA).

The Secretary-General appoints a single Deputy Secretary-General following consultations with Member States and in accordance with Article 101 of the Charter of the United Nations. The term of office of the Deputy Secretary-General does not exceed that of the Secretary-General.

An informal group of independent advisers on senior UN appointments was established in 1997. It comprises prominent individuals who are familiar with the United Nations system. The Secretary General, as and when necessary, consults them with regard to senior-level appointments.

Regarding Irish staffing levels as a whole in the UN Secretariat, as of June 2008 Ireland had a total of 163 staff within the Secretariat, accounting for 0.41% of Secretariat staff. This included 75 staff in professional and higher categories.