eolas europe
Strategy published to avoid Irish EU jobs cliff-edge The Government has launched its strategy to increase the number of Irish graduates being hired for EU jobs as a number of impending retirements have brought about fears of a waning of influence in Brussels. Fearing the approach of a “huge demographic cliff-edge” with many senior Irish officials in Brussels due to retire soon, the Government has drawn up a strategy, A Career for EU, in order to increase the Irish presence in the halls of European institutions. As things currently stand, just ‘one or two’ Irish graduates are being hired into the European system per year, at a time when post-Brexit realities mean that Ireland will need to bolster its influence at the European level. Attempts to recruit more Irish graduates have been said to have been previously hampered by a lack of qualifications or competency in major European languages other than English, and by the lengthy recruitment process involved. The strategy will expand the existing EU Jobs campaign, with increased promotion and outreach to second- and third-level students in order to increase the rate of hires at the European level to five per year, meaning a total of 50 new hires would be in place by 2030.
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Main aims within the strategy also include the provision of tailored support and training to all Irish candidates applying for posts in the EU institutions, as well as additional resources dedicated to supporting the use of Irish as an official EU language, including by making training material available in Irish. The funding for the Centrally Funded Scheme for Seconded National Experts, which seconds Irish civil servants to roles in Brussels will also be increased, meaning that the total number of Irish civil servants provided to EU institutions per year will be more than doubled, from 24 to 50. The current scholarship programme will also be expanded, enabling at least 10 Irish post graduate students to study at the College of Europe in Bruges and Natolin. A stream within the Irish Civil Service for EU specialists, who will receive help in applying for roles within EU institutions, will also be created. Speaking upon the launch of the strategy, Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne TD said: “A Career for EU
sets out the measures we will take to make sure Ireland maintains its influence within the EU’s institutions for years to come. Some of the jobs available include lawyer linguists, pharmacists in the EMA and animal welfare officers to name but a few. We want to ensure Irish citizens continue to serve in the EU institutions. By doing so, we will remain at the heart of Europe, shaping the future of our shared union.” A Career for EU has been strategised and published at a time when Ireland is facing a ‘demographic cliff’ with regard to its representation among the staff of the EU’s institutions. At present, Ireland is “adequately represented” in staffing levels across the EU institutions, but it has fewer officials at the entry and midmanagement levels than “should otherwise be the case”. The European Commission is the EU institutions’ biggest employer, with 30,000 staff working in Brussels, Luxembourg, other EU member states, and around the
