Childers criticises McCreevy move

Dublin: Nessa Childers MEP has accused the European Commission of “wilfully breaking its own code of conduct on jobs in the private sector for former EU Commissioners” by allowing the appointment of Charlie McCreevy to the board of Ryanair.

The Labour MEP said: “The parachuting of Charlie McCreevy into a lucrative new job on the board of Ryanair has made a mockery of the European Commission’s own rules. The Code of Conduct stipulates that former Commissioners may not assume roles related to their previous portfolios for a period of at least a year.

This decision has not only succeeded in breaking the spirit of the code but it has undermined the whole set of principles underpinning the code for post-office employment of former commissioners.