The Irish Government has followed the European Commission president’s wishes by offering her a choice of candidates to replace Phil Hogan.
Not only has the Government offered gender balance in its candidates, it has also given a choice between an experienced and capable politician and equally experienced and capable administrator, working behind the political front line shaping policy.
The candidates
Andrew McDowell is a name that won’t be familiar to farmers, having worked in the engine room as a senior adviser to Enda Kenny when he was Taoiseach before securing the position of vice-president in the European Investment Bank in 2016.
The nature of these positions require an extremely capable person and no doubt he would be an extremely capable Commissioner if appointed.
Andrew McDowell, SBCI CEO Nick Ashmore and MEP Frances Fitzgerald. \ Fennell Photography
Mairead McGuinness, on the other hand, needs no introduction to Irish farmers. She spent her earlier career writing on agriculture in the print media, including the Irish Farmers Journal, before presenting on the popular RTÉ series Ear to the Ground.
She became an MEP in 2004, rising to senior vice-president and has served on the Parliament’s agriculture committee and has a direct family interest in agriculture.
Gender balance
If achieving gender balance on the Commission is the president’s priority, it makes Mairead McGuinness the favourite. If she is the successful candidate, the focus will switch to what portfolio she will be given in a reshuffled Commission.
The view in Brussels is that the public loss of confidence in Phil Hogan by the Government was interference and to discourage this practice, a new Irish commissioner will receive a less senior post.
Portfolio in reshuffled Commission
If that is how it turns out and Ireland loses the senior trade portfolio, securing agriculture would be the next best thing.
Agriculture is less senior than trade, but still a big position and the one where Hogan made his reputation in the previous administration that secured him trade this time.
Agriculture and trade are intertwined in trade deal negotiations, an issue that is particularly important for Irish farmers given the advanced negotiations between the EU and Australia/New Zealand.
Agriculture would be perfect fit
If the Commission president was to appoint Mairead McGuinness as agriculture commissioner, it would have deftly punished Ireland with a less senior portfolio than trade, but still an important one in recognition that the Government acceded to the Commission president’s request for a choice of male and female candidates.
It would also be an appointment that should serve EU (including Irish) farmers well, given her background in agri media and years of experience as an MEP.
The next step now is for Commission president Ursuala Von Der Leyen as she indicated on Twitter on Friday afternoon to interview them early next week to choose her preferred candidate and allocate a portfolio.
Then the candidate has to go before the relevant committee of the European Parliament to be grilled on their suitability for the job and on successful completion of that they can move into the Berlaymont.
Read more
Search for Hogan’s replacement continues
Rebuilding work to be done in Brussels
The Irish Government has followed the European Commission president’s wishes by offering her a choice of candidates to replace Phil Hogan.
Not only has the Government offered gender balance in its candidates, it has also given a choice between an experienced and capable politician and equally experienced and capable administrator, working behind the political front line shaping policy.
The candidates
Andrew McDowell is a name that won’t be familiar to farmers, having worked in the engine room as a senior adviser to Enda Kenny when he was Taoiseach before securing the position of vice-president in the European Investment Bank in 2016.
The nature of these positions require an extremely capable person and no doubt he would be an extremely capable Commissioner if appointed.
Andrew McDowell, SBCI CEO Nick Ashmore and MEP Frances Fitzgerald. \ Fennell Photography
Mairead McGuinness, on the other hand, needs no introduction to Irish farmers. She spent her earlier career writing on agriculture in the print media, including the Irish Farmers Journal, before presenting on the popular RTÉ series Ear to the Ground.
She became an MEP in 2004, rising to senior vice-president and has served on the Parliament’s agriculture committee and has a direct family interest in agriculture.
Gender balance
If achieving gender balance on the Commission is the president’s priority, it makes Mairead McGuinness the favourite. If she is the successful candidate, the focus will switch to what portfolio she will be given in a reshuffled Commission.
The view in Brussels is that the public loss of confidence in Phil Hogan by the Government was interference and to discourage this practice, a new Irish commissioner will receive a less senior post.
Portfolio in reshuffled Commission
If that is how it turns out and Ireland loses the senior trade portfolio, securing agriculture would be the next best thing.
Agriculture is less senior than trade, but still a big position and the one where Hogan made his reputation in the previous administration that secured him trade this time.
Agriculture and trade are intertwined in trade deal negotiations, an issue that is particularly important for Irish farmers given the advanced negotiations between the EU and Australia/New Zealand.
Agriculture would be perfect fit
If the Commission president was to appoint Mairead McGuinness as agriculture commissioner, it would have deftly punished Ireland with a less senior portfolio than trade, but still an important one in recognition that the Government acceded to the Commission president’s request for a choice of male and female candidates.
It would also be an appointment that should serve EU (including Irish) farmers well, given her background in agri media and years of experience as an MEP.
The next step now is for Commission president Ursuala Von Der Leyen as she indicated on Twitter on Friday afternoon to interview them early next week to choose her preferred candidate and allocate a portfolio.
Then the candidate has to go before the relevant committee of the European Parliament to be grilled on their suitability for the job and on successful completion of that they can move into the Berlaymont.
Read more
Search for Hogan’s replacement continues
Rebuilding work to be done in Brussels
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