Local TDs say Phil Hogan had no option but to resign as EU Trade Commissioner despite all he’s done for Carlow-Kilkenny and for Ireland.
Fianna Fail’s John McGuinness told KCLR this morning (Thursday) that the Kilkennyman had done a good job in Europe and we’ll miss having him steering future Brexit and Trade talks.
But Jennifer Murnane O’Connor said he simply had to step aside after the revelations about his Covid breaches.
In her speech in Brussells this morning, Commission Presdent Urusla von der Leyen also paid tribute to Mr Hogan for his work, but made it absolutely clear that even commissioners have to follow the rules.
The government must now nominate two potential sucessors to the Commission with Simon Coveney, Leo Varadkar and Mairead McGuinness being mentioned in political circles in Dublin.
Foreign Affairs Minister Conevey is seen as having a good profile in Europe and heavyweight enough that he might be able to keep the Trade portfolio – which would be huge for Ireland with Brexit talks ongoing.
But Irish Times Europe correspondent Naomi O’Leary told KCLR the talk in Brussells is that Minister Coveney would not have the experience to get Trade and it would need to be somone with a more technical backgound like former Secretary-Generals of Trade at the Commission; David O’Sullivan or Catherine Day.
