Talk of Ireland winning EU agriculture role ‘may be premature’
While political sources in Dublin suggest that there is a strong push for Ireland to gain the post, our sources in Brussels suggest that such talk may be premature. While the political view in Dublin is that Environment Minister Phil Hogan would make a strong candidate, it seems other EU member states are also interested.
Chief among these is Romania, who are hoping that sitting EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos will be retained in his seat. Both the centre-right Romanian President Traian Basescu and the Socialist Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced their official support for Mr Ciolos to run for a second term.
Sources in the Romanian government last week told the EU press agency Euractiv that their parliament had “no plan B” in terms of applying for an alternative European portfolio.
Thus, it seems, Romania does not believe that it will fail in its attempts to have Mr Ciolos re-enter his existing office. It is likely that the EU will decide on its incoming commissioners by the end of July, or by the end of September at the latest.
In a meeting with Taoiseach Enda Kenny, IFA president Eddie Downey made a strong case for Ireland pursuing the agriculture portfolio.
Mr Downey said: “There are important decisions ahead for the agriculture sector, including climate change, retail legislation and trade deals. Irish and European farmers need a strong voice around the Commission table.
“The mid-term review of the CAP will also be taking place, which is an opportunity to re-focus on supporting food production and ensuring a viable living for active, productive farmers. The right outcome on these policy areas will only be achieved by having a Commissioner who recognises that the direction the CAP needs to change.”
The IFA president said Ireland’s mistake in deciding not to take up the portfolio in the outgoing Commission should not be repeated.
“As agriculture is our largest indigenous industry, this is something we should actively seek,” he said.
It remains to be seen whether Ireland pushes for the agriculture role. Doing so would mean Ireland losing Máire Geoghegan Quinn’s portfolio as Commissioner for Innovation, Research and Science.
Our sources in Brussels say that the broadly-held view in EU circles is that MGQ has performed well with the innovation portfolio, and that Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has done “remarkably well for Ireland” in the final carve-up of EU funding.
Nonetheless, the case for Phil Hogan seems to be strong. The next few months will tell whether a strong enough push is made.
