FORMER EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER Phil Hogan has applied to be Ireland’s candidate to lead the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). 

Hogan, who was previously EU Agriculture Commissioner and later Trade Commissioner, is understood to be seeking the backing from government for the position, which is based out of Rome. 

However, sources state other people have also applied for the role, stating that a panel will be interviewing people next week. 

Hogan, who needs the government nomination for the position, confirmed to the Irish Independent today that he had submitted a formal job application but declined to comment further, only telling the newspaper:

“Interviews will be held and we will have to see. The voting for this position is in 2027.”

Hogan resigned from his role as EU Commissioner for Trade in 2020 in the wake of the Golfgate scandal and questions about his movements while in Ireland during the Covid-19 lockdown when restrictions were in place.

At the time, Hogan told RTE News that he “broke no law”. 

“I broke no regulations, but I could have adhered better to the guidelines,” he said. 

He acknowledged that he caused upset and anger in Ireland, and said that the issue had become an unacceptable distraction. 

Those comments from Hogan followed a joint-statement from the Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan who said that “it is clear” that Hogan breached public health guidelines while in Ireland.

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The whole episode resulted in Hogan and Varadkar, who had previously been close party colleagues, not speaking again, it was later revealed by the former Tánaiste. 

A month after his resignation, Hogan said he was subject to a “full-scale” attack by the Taoiseach and Tánaiste at the time, Martin and Varadkar. 

Prior to his time as a commissioner, Hogan was the minister over a number of extremely unpopular measures implemented by the Fine Gael-Labour coalition. 

The local property tax was one very unpopular policy, but it was his proposal for the introduction of water charges which prompted people to take to the streets in their hundreds of thousands.