Leo Varadkar: No immediate decision on Phil Hogan’s role in Europe
The Government will make no decision on Phil Hogan’s future as EU agriculture commissioner for at least 10 days amid growing demands from farmers for him to be removed from office.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said any plans to reappointment the Fine Gael heavyweight will not be confirmed until after new European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen takes up her role.
In a backlash against the EU signing of the Mercosur deal in recent days, the Irish Farmers Association, individual farmers, and TDs have questioned Mr Hogan’s future in the high-ranking job.
Farmers have cited Mr Hogan’s involvement in the deal — which will see drastically reduced import taxes for EU products going to South America and vice versa but will also allow an influx of cheaper Brazilian beef into the EU — and have warned that the sector could lose €750m.
The situation has led to Agriculture Minister Michael Creed vowing to “dismantle” the now-sanctioned EU deal and Oireachtas Agriculture Committee chair and Fine Gael TD Pat Deering openly questioning Mr Hogan’s future.
However, speaking at a Center Parcs launch in Co Longford, Mr Varadkar said he will make no decision on the issue until Ms von der Leyen takes up her new role, effectively delaying any commissioner appointment for at least 10 days.
“We’ll be making that decision and announcement once Ursula von der Leyen has been formally confirmed as EU Commission president, so nothing to say until then,” said Mr Varadkar.
“I don’t think confirmation hearings will take more than a week or two, so sooner rather than later.”
Any decision not to reappoint Mr Hogan to the role would be a risky move for Mr Varadkar, given the power that Mr Hogan still holds within the ranks of Fine Gael.
However, a change would allow the Taoiseach to potentially transfer one of his under-performing ministers out of domestic sight and to Brussels.
Meanwhile, Mr Varadkar has moved to again apologise for his ‘sinful priest’ remarks against Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.
Yesterday, the Taoiseach said: “What I will be doing next week in the Dáil obviously is withdrawing the remarks that I made; it is up to him [Mr Martin] if he wants to do something similar.”
Mr Varadkar was forced to apologise for his remarks, made in the Dáil on Wednesday, following criticism from Mr Martin and a public backlash.
