An assistant secretary at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has been elected chairman of a top EU committee.

Mr Seamus O Morain becomes chairman of the Employment and Labour Market Committee, which develops employment policy for the EU. Many of its recommendations are incorporated into the employment action plans of member-states.

The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, said the Government had "lobbied hard for the post" and Mr O Morain was supported by most member-states.

The development is seen as significant at a time when the German and French governments are pressing for new EU measures in the area of taxation and labour law. Some of these are being strongly resisted by other member-states.

The committee supplies reports to EU employment and trade ministers and its recommendations form the basis for discussions at EU summits. It was formed under the terms of the Amsterdam Treaty during the Irish presidency in 1996.

Mr O Morain, who has been on the committee for the last two years, said it had "a major impact on public policy in member-states".

"Reducing unemployment in the context of the new single currency is what will dominate over all other issues," he said. He added that Germany was keen to see that unemployment became a priority as the euro zone developed.

"The Republic's view on the committee is that we are in favour of incentivising people to take up work by keeping the tax burden low," he said. Mr O Morain has been a civil servant in the department for several years and is responsible for domestic labour market issues. Previously he worked in the area of company law.