The Gazette 1975

Oireachtas Debate s

l M l L QUESTIONS — 5 FEBRUARY 1975

Dr. Fit/Gerald: We have to distinguish here between committees of working groups which are concerned with questions of government policy, in the context of the Community, and with putting forward the views of the Irish Government on matters, and other informal groupings that exist where the interests of different sectors of the Community are represented — the Econ- omic and Social Committee and many other working parties; I do not know what exact title one gives them — and where expert advice is given by the representat- ives of different interests to those concerned with de- cision making. The bodies with which I am concerned here are the committees and working groups of the Council of Ministers which represents Governments. Mr. O'Kcnnedy: I take it from what the Minister has said that in fact there is no binding regulation which precludes the Government from nominating chairmen to these committees, in view of the fact that there are people there who were not in the public service. In view of that might I suggest that in some areas — in the area of the paper industry, insurance lawyers or any others — it would be more appropriate to have the profession or business organisation represented by chair- men for a number of reasons which must be obvious to the Minister. Dr. FitzGerald: I do not think it is as simple as that. It is very important that the views of these interests .. )uld he represented through their own commitees which are providing advice to the Council and the Commission. We are talking here of committees which represent governments and putting forward Government policy. As far as that is concerned there is a danger in having somebody who represents a sectional interest putting forward a view for that sectional interest which may not be in consonance with government policy as a whole, so there is a practical difficulty there. Mr. O'Kennedy: Take, for example, the question of the legal professions. I do not know what would be the attitude of the Government to the right of estab- lishment of lawyers under the European Community but surely it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that a responsible and representative lawyer could in fact express, after consultation, the Government view, as chairman ? Dr. FitzGerald: I would not rule that out a priori. Mr. O'Kenncdy: If the Minister would not rule it out would the Minister not then consider that, in view of the lawyer's qualifications in the area, it would be desirable to have a person who has such a skill. Dr. FitzGerald: It could be if we did not have an adequately qualified person available in or attached to the Government service. Mr. O'Kennedy: Is the Minister satisfied that he has within the public service adequately qualified people to chair all of these 200 sub-committees? Dr. FitzGcrald: Yes, to represent government policy on them; certainly not people with the expert knowledge to provide the detailed view of the profession concerned, which is provided by that profession through the

IRISH STAFF FOR EEC

t Mr. La 11ass: Is it intended to fill the Secretary's })ost "i Luxembu r g? ^ ' -Ge r a l d: Yes, 1 hope to he able to fill it over ' e coming months. Because of our current Presidency °f the European Community we have had to deploy staff on a temporary basis and quite a numlier of our missions abroad arc" understaffed for that reason at this tune. n , a t position will he mitigated, although not Perhaps completely remedied, at the end of the present session. . Mr. LcmasJ: Is the Minister experiencing difficulty »n rccruiting suitable staff for his Department. HtzGerald: This year I think we have had more successful applications than ever l>cfore, • of course °ur needs are greater than ever before. Chairmen of EEC Committees . J ; \ M r . O'Kenncdy asked the Minister for Foreign •»nairs the number, if any, of the chairmen of the committees and working groups of the Council of j unsters of the European Community to lie provided )y Iceland from January to June, 1.975, who arc not members of the public scrvice. ; I'itzGerald: All chairmen of committees and forking groups of the Council to he provided by reland in the period from January to June, 1975. g!. c lne mbers of the public service. Ireland is providing chairmen for some 189 committees and working groups. Eightv-four chairmen are from Government e Partnients and offices, including one retired civil Ser vant who is being employed on a fee basis. The remaining 14 chairmen are drawn from the following l>odies:

Number of Chairmen

Body

%

An Foras Talúntais Tráchtála

2 2 4 3

ndustrial Development Authority 'nstitute for Industrial Research and Standards Rational Science Council ... *«t»ctive Practices Commission

1

2

ha^ lr * ° K e n n e d > : view of the fact that the Minister s told us that there are approximately 200 sub-com- ittces, does the Minister not think it would be appro- of 1 tff h a V C a P P ° ' n t e d to the chairmanship of some sp • i 6 ^ o r k ' n g committees some people who have Yo t ^ ^ a n d ^ c ' 3 ' expertise in various areas? ind ° s p e c i a l committees for lawyers, for the paper j^. u . str V and for the various professions. Would the ne J." lslCr n ° t think it would be entirely desirable, if not cha' SSary * t h a t t h e r c s , l 0 u l d l)e special provision for S tat lrn ^ ans . hi P from outside the public sen-ice or senii-

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