Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the implications the European external action service has for Irish foreign policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7074/10]

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the position regarding the staffing of such diplomatic posts representing the European Union which will arise as a result of the Lisbon treaty; the arrangements for the filling of these, and the expected Irish involvement. [7168/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 143 together.

Following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, Irish Foreign Policy will continue to be conducted within the overall context of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The European External Action Service (EEAS) is an important innovation under the Lisbon Treaty to support the work of the new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton. The High Representative's role is to conduct the Common Foreign and Security Policy and to contribute to its development.

The EEAS will be formally established under a Council Decision which it is hoped will be adopted at the latest by the end of April 2010. The High Representative is currently preparing a proposal for that Council Decision and is being assisted by a High-Level Group which includes representatives from the Member States.

As regards the staffing of EU diplomatic posts, the Treaty provides that the EEAS will comprise staff from three sources: the national diplomatic services, the Council Secretariat and the Commission. The forthcoming Council Decision on the EEAS will define the arrangements for filling these posts but, under guidelines already agreed, staff from all three sources should be treated equally, with staff from Member States having the same opportunities, rights and obligations as those of staff from the Council and Commission.

We have stressed the need for the staffing of the EEAS to be representative of the diversity of the Union. The recruitment process should be open, transparent and merit-based. I am confident that we will be able to place very high-calibre Irish candidates within the new Service. Current indications are that recruitment to the EEAS proper is unlikely to begin before this autumn.

The overall size of the EEAS is still under consideration and it will be some years before it reaches full operational strength. Staffing from the member States, including Ireland, is likely to start modestly. However, over time there will be a real benefit to the State through the experience gained by Irish public servants who have served with the EEAS.

The work of the EEAS will be complementary to the work of national diplomatic services. In countries outside of the European Union, European Commission Delegations have now become European Union Delegations which will form part of the EEAS structure. EU Delegations will work in close cooperation with Embassies from EU member States, including the Irish Embassy. EU Delegations will also take on work in international organisations which is currently done by the rotating Presidency, although the details of how this will work in practice have yet to be agreed.

The EEAS does not have responsibility for key areas of the work of my Department and Irish Embassies, in particular, promotion of Ireland's trade and economic interests, the provision of consular assistance to Irish citizens and liaison with Irish communities, and the administration of our overseas development assistance programmes. The EEAS may play a role in regard to consular assistance in emergency situations but this would be subsidiary to the work of national Embassies.

The European External Action Service will of course not play any diplomatic role within EU Member States and the work of my Department on developments within the EU and in promoting bilateral relations with these states will not be affected.