Walsh claims he never sought plum EU post

AGRICULTURE MINISTER Joe Walsh bizarrely claimed yesterday that he was never interested in the European Commissioner’s job, despite his recent pronouncements indicating the absolute contrary.

After Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said Charlie McCreevy was his only candidate for the €250,000 a year post, Mr Walsh said he was not disappointed to be overlooked.

Mr Walsh is hotly tipped to be ditched from the Cabinet in the forthcoming reshuffle and in the past 10 days uncharacteristically developed a wide media profile as he made a number of public proclamations leading to suggestions his bags were packed and he was ready to go to Europe:

* He wrote about the importance of the powers of the EU Commission to Irish agriculture.

* He stated Fianna Fáil’s meeting in September at Inchedoney Island, just outside his home town of Clonakilty, would be a fine opportunity to launch a bye-election in his constituency.

* He warned against moving Mr McCreevy from the Department of Finance, describing him as the cornerstone of the Government.

Also yesterday, FF sources reported of a meeting last week between Mr Ahern and Mr Walsh, Tánaiste Mary Harney and Minister for Social Welfare Mary Coughlan, where Mr Ahern was urged to keep Mr McCreevy in the Cabinet.

FF and Progressive Democrats sources also said in recent weeks that Mr Ahern was being lobbied by both political and agri-industry figures to give Mr Walsh the post, as they argued that he would have an extremely strong case to be appointed as EU Agriculture Commissioner.

Mr Ahern reappointed Mr Walsh to the Cabinet in 2002 after representations from figures in the horse breeding and agriculture sectors, but now he heads the list of those expected to be sacked in the reshuffle.

Speaking in Portlaoise, Mr Walsh told RTÉ he was very pleased for Mr McCreevy and denied he was disappointed.

“No, that it is the first thing I want to say: I wasn’t. I did make it clear publicly in a number of interviews that I never sought the job, never looked for the job, never spoke to the Taoiseach about the job.

“And I did say when asked: ‘Well, if you were offered it would you take it?’ and I said: ‘Look I have had a good run, I have a very important job to do, I have a huge number of challenges and for a person bring offered a job in Brussels, it would be disruptive for family reasons and so on, you actually would have to relocate in another country and that is something which would have to be given very serious consideration’.

“So the short answer is no, I am not disappointed.”