asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government will give consideration to the appointment of non-civil servants to ambassadorial posts as they arise in the future.

Ambassadors are appointed by the President on the nomination of the Government. For many years the practice has been to appoint individuals to ambassadorial posts from within the diplomatic service. While the appointment of non-civil servants to such posts is not excluded, there are no plans to do so at the present time.

May I ask the Taoiseach if they have considered this matter and if, as we encourage members of the public service to take career breaks and to broaden their horizons and experience should it not be a two way process of giving the members of the public and, indeed, established figures in business, in industry, in education or elsewhere opportunities of representing this country at the highest diplomatic level? I should like to ask the Taoiseach if he will give this matter some consideration.

Yes, it is something that is well worth considering and it is something that would have to be decided ad rem. As the Deputy well knows, the tradition is that ambassadors are almost universally career diplomats. That system has worked well but, as the Deputy pointed out, the whole scene is changing and we are into an entirely new position with regard to the preparations for the single market in Europe and in other areas. I can do no more than assure the Deputy that this is something that will be kept in mind.