Hogan confirmed by three to one vote

A defiant Phil Hogan, newly confirmed as the EU’s Agriculture Commissioner, repeated his threat to sue MEP Nessa Childers for defamation, demanding that she withdraw her accusation that he discriminated against a Traveller family in Kilkenny.

Despite being voted by a three to one majority of members of the European Parliament to take the job as Agriculture Commissioner, Mr Hogan said he will pursue his legal action against the Dublin MEP.

Afterwards, Ms Childers, who denied she defamed him, said she has been assured that the Parliament will defend her immunity if he tries to act against her. She turned down his request to meet her last week. “As long as the legal threat remains I have been advised it would be very unwise to talk to him,” she said.