One consequence of Ireland’s enthusiastic embrace of membership of what was then the European Economic Community in 1973 was that many Irish citizens sought and found work in its institutions. Driven in part by a lack of opportunities at home they prospered and two of them, David O’Sullivan and Catherine Day, rose to the position of secretary-general of the commission, the most senior job in the Brussels bureaucracy.
Below them was – and still is – a network of Irish officials spread across directorates and agencies who are an important conduit between Irish governments and the commission. They serve as both an early warning system and a route for Ireland to exert influence over the early stages of policy making.
Around one third of these officials are due to retire in the next two years and concern is growing in Government about the lack of younger Irish officials coming up through the EU ranks to replace them.
In part, Ireland is a victim of its own success in this regard. The transformation that followed EEC membership means that many who might have been attracted to work in the commission can forge careers at home.
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The Department of Foreign Affairs is actively seeking to increase the number of Irish people working in the EU’s institutions and agencies. The focus is on encouraging applicants and equipping them with the skills they need to succeed in recruitment competitions. The target is for 50 additional posts at entry level or above by 2030.
More could be done, particularly in helping officials seconded to Brussels move into permanent roles. We could also take a leaf out of the book of some of the other states whose permanent representation in Brussels put a great deal of effort into fostering a network of their nationals who work in the commission. The Irish approach to date seems to have been to let it happen organically. It may have served us well in the past but in a European Union of 27 member states a small country must work harder to achieve outsized influence.