THE GOVERNMENT has set its sights on the budget and innovation portfolios in talks over Ireland’s seat on the incoming European Commission, according to EU sources.
With Taoiseach Brian Cowen expected to nominate former Fianna Fáil minister Maire Geoghegan-Quinn for the post, sources in Brussels say these two mid-ranking portfolios have come to the fore. Final talks on the allocation of portfolios will not begin until deadlocked EU leaders choose the first president of the European Council and the bloc’s new high representative for foreign affairs, who will also serve as a vice-president of the commission.
Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, holder of the bloc’s rotating presidency, is conducting a fresh round of telephone consultations with EU leaders in advance of a dinner summit next Thursday night.
With consensus elusive thus far, European Commission president José Manuel Barroso said the process was akin to trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube puzzle: “Before I have the high representative I cannot complete the puzzle of the next commission.” Mr Barroso reiterated his aim of increasing female representation, a factor that has helped propel Ms Geoghegan-Quinn into pole position.
With the three most powerful commissionerships – competition, trade and internal market – widely held to be beyond the reach of the incoming Irish appointee, attention has turned to portfolios of mid-level importance.
Although much depends on Mr Barroso’s preferences, sources said Irish officials believe the budget and innovation portfolios are within Ireland’s grasp. Other jobs in contention, but to a lesser extent, include the agriculture portfolio and the administrative affairs and audit post.
The budget portfolio is not a prominent position but the holder, who manages the EU’s multibillion-euro budget and makes allocations to other commissioners, can be a powerful figure. The low visibility of the post may also be in keeping with Ms Geoghegan-Quinn’s withdrawal from frontline politics in the 1990s and the low profile she has had since joining the European Court of Auditors nine years ago.
The Polish government is also said to be seeking this job.
The innovation post – embracing research, enterprise and the promotion of information technology – is in keeping with the Government’s “smart economy” policy and would be seen as something of a coup.
Estonia’s government moved yesterday to nominate president Toomas Ilves as a candidate for both the presidency of the European Council and the foreign policy post.
He joins a list of candidates for the presidency that includes Belgian prime minister Herman Van Rompuy, who is still perceived to be the favourite. Other candidates include former British prime minister Tony Blair, Luxembourg prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker, his Dutch counterpart Jan Peter Balkenende and former taoiseach John Bruton. Taoiseach Brian Cowen is backing EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn for the foreign policy post. Former Italian prime minister Massimo D’Alema and Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt are also vying for that post.