Sir, – I read your piece about the declining number of Irish people working in the EU institutions with interest (“Falling number of Irish working in EU institutions a ‘serious problem’”, World, August 29th). However, as an official in the European Commission, the content was far from surprising.
For several years, the Irish Government has failed to promote the full breadth of career opportunities available to Irish citizens, from temporary contracts to seconded national expert positions. Many Irish citizens only discover these opportunities when they move to Brussels. This stands in contrast to other EU nationals, who are often deeply informed by their governments via information campaigns and regular engagements with embassies.
To address this “serious problem”, it is important that the Irish Government actively engages with those who understand the process involved in getting EU posts. The entry requirements for permanent EU jobs are extremely onerous (long recruitment procedures, multiple exams, etc), putting many people off careers in the institutions. It’s a systemic issue that requires a full understanding of the barriers to entry, and political action to reform. From the perspective of those working in Brussels, successive Irish governments have taken little interest in this important issue. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL BRUTON,
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Brussels,
Belgium.