Bruton ambition ‘known weeks ago’

THE mystery of just when the Government learned of John Bruton’s bid for the EU presidency deepened with a statement from the former Taoiseach that he had informed the Irish ambassador three weeks ago.

Mr Bruton finished his tenure as the EU’s ambassador to Washington yesterday following a five-year stint that was considered to have been very successful.

To increase his slim chance of getting the job, Mr Bruton would need the enthusiastic support of the Government. But his bid met with a less than enthusiastic response from Taoiseach Brian Cowen until he was put under pressure by the media in Brussels at this week’s EU summit.

A spokesman for Mr Bruton, responding to newspaper reports that the Government was not aware until late last week of his interest in the role of EU president, said he told the Irish ambassador to Washington on October 5.

“He hosted a lunch for several ambassadors, including those from Sweden, Belgium, Hungary and Ireland. He specifically told the Irish ambassador of his intention to seek this post and he also informed the Swedish ambassador as his country holds the EU presidency currently,” he said.

Mr Bruton sent a confidential letter to the ambassadors of all the EU member states in Washington last Friday and beforehand he contacted the Government secretary, Diarmuid McCarthy, to let him know of the letters. “He asked Mr Bruton if the message should be passed higher up and Mr Bruton said, ‘Of course’,” he added.

Asked when he learned of Mr Bruton’s interest, Mr Cowen said it became clear to him last week that Mr Bruton was going to write around to his colleagues.

Foreign Minister Micheál Martin said: “I was in Washington two weeks ago and Mr Bruton was there and he did not communicate this to me.”

He understood Mr Bruton was interested in being Ireland’s commissioner.

The revelation of Mr Bruton’s interest in the job emerged on Thursday.

Initially Mr Cowen said that if Mr Bruton emerged as a contender, then he would support him.

Later, Mr Martin said they would campaign for his name in the vital run-up to names being discussed for the job.

Some months ago, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny put forward Mr Bruton’s name for the role of Ireland’s commissioner, stating that the former leader of the Rainbow Coalition that ushered in the country’s economic boom was ideally placed to get an important portfolio in Brussels.

There has been no indication that Fianna Fáil will nominate somebody from the opposition to the job, however, and most expect they will select former Justice Minister Máire Geoghegan Quinn, currently a member of the EU Court of Auditors.

EU leaders are likely to meet at a special session in two weeks, when a Czech court is expected to have cleared the way for the Lisbon treaty to take effect, and decide on the new top jobs and commission.