TAOISEACH Enda Kenny has refused to say if the Government will proceed with Kevin Cardiff’s nomination to a lucrative EU post after he was rejected at a key stage of the process.

The European Parliament's Budgetary Control Committee has rejected by one vote the appointment of Kevin Cardiff to the European Court of Auditors.

MEPs have received an unprecedented amount of emails lobbying over the Government’s controversial nominee to a top auditing body in Europe, it was revealed today.