Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 140: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide details of the permanent presence in his Department of any staff member of the EU, IMF and ECB; and if he will provide details of the way the arrangement works. [27129/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There are no EU, IMF or ECB staff located in my Department. However, a representative from both the EU and the IMF have recently taken up duty in Dublin, located respectively in the EU Commission's Dublin office and the Central Bank of Ireland.

These resident representatives are a normal feature of support programmes. The IMF has resident representatives in almost all countries where it provides financial support, including more than a dozen in Europe. It currently has about 80 offices worldwide, including about a dozen in Europe, with offices in almost all countries where it provides financial support, together with offices serving regions or groups of countries. The European Commission has adopted a similar approach, which began with the EU adjustment programmes for Hungary, Latvia and Romania. Again, this is now a standard feature of support programmes where Community resources are involved.

The resident representatives provide a liaison between the IMF and the EU Commission respectively and the country authorities, build relationships with non-officials, and help the EU and the IMF deepen their understanding of conditions on the ground. They support the authorities by explaining the views of the IMF and the EU and by keeping the EU and IMF abreast of economic and social developments in the country.