Phil Hogan wins backing for EU agriculture commissioner role

Ireland's commissioner-designate Phil Hogan has won the backing of the European Parliament's agriculture committee to become the next EU agriculture commissioner. In a vote this afternoon, the committee voted by a majority in favour of Mr Hogan's appointment.

42 MEPs took part in the ballot, which consisted of two questions. Asked whether Mr Hogan was qualified to become a member of the College of Commissioners, 32 MEPs voted in favour, 10 against, and 1 abstention.

Asked whether Mr Hogan was qualified to carry out the particular duties required of him, 31 voted in favour and 11 against.

While co-ordinators of the main political groups usually decide on the suitability of Commissioners, two political groups - the left-wing GUE_NGL group and the EEFD group - had called for an extraordinary meeting of the agriculture committee to vote on Mr Hogan’s appointment following his hearing this morning.

Mr Hogan's appointment will be confirmed when the European Parliament votes on the entire 27 Commissioners in Strasbourg later this month. A number of commissioner-designates have been asked to reappear before their respective committees or clarify points before receiving the asset of the committee. This morning, French nominee Pierre Moscovici failed to gain the support of MEP's in the European People's Party (EPP), the largest group in the Parliament.

Meanwhile, Mr Hogan confirmed this morning he had made representations on behalf of his constituents for jobs at Irish Water at the European Parliament committee hearing into his nomination this morning in Brussels.

“None of them got a job, so I must be losing my influence,” he joked.

Responding to a question from Luke “Ming” Flanagan MEP, Mr Hogan said that, as a public representative, “you do try and actually help people to get employment”.

Mr Flanagan asked Mr Hogan would he continue to support a Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) for “the ranchers and the millionaires”, noting that the richest 20 per cent get 80 per cent of the payments under the CAP policy.

Mr Hogan had earlier criticised Sinn Féin for its anti-European stance while noting he has the full support of Sinn Féin’s Northern Irish Minister for Agriculture as EU agriculture Commissioner when responding to the first question on his recent political controversies in this morning’s parliamentary hearing.

Earlier, Mr Hogan, who did not refer to any of the recent domestic political controversies in his opening statement, pledged to simplify the CAP and the system of direct payment for farmers as he began his three-hour hearing before the Parliament’s agriculture committee.

In his opening 15-minute presentation to MEPs, a relaxed Mr Hogan said he himself had been raised on a farm, and wanted agriculture to pay a key role in promoting jobs and growth.

He said he would monitor the situation regarding the abolition of milk quotas next year, and would simplify the administration around the CAP for farmers, and in particular the system of direct farm payments.

“I have long believed in Europe and I have long served the interest of rural and farming communities”.