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URSULA VON DER Leyen has asked all EU countries to nominate both a man and a woman as their candidate for European Commissioner, but Ireland is unlikely to obey.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin has previously shot down the idea, saying the government’s decision-making shouldn’t be “unduly undermined” by Europe.
After being re-elected for a second five-year term as the European Commission’s President, von der Leyen today said:
“In the coming weeks I will ask leaders to put forward their candidates. I will, as I did last time, write a letter and ask for the proposal of a man and a woman as candidates.”
She added that there will be an exception made for when there is an incumbent commissioner staying.
Commissioners are regarded as the highest-ranking diplomats in the EU and are the people who are put in charge of drafting and amending various types of new European policy.
For Ireland, upon the formation of the current government, it was decided that Fianna Fáil would appoint the next EU Commissioner to replace Fine Gael’s Mairead McGuinness.
Michael McGrath, who had been Minister for Finance, was announced last month as Ireland’s pick for Commissioner.
Martin said he had consulted with the Taoiseach about who he selected.
The Journal previously asked the Tánaiste if he was thinking about putting forward both a male and female for the role.
However, Martin effectively ruled out such a move, stating:
“We can, although part of me would say that the fundamental rules in terms of national decision-making should not be unduly undermined.
“That would be a traditional view of mine in terms of it’s a decision for each member state.
“We did do that on the last occasion, although it was done in a way that the outcome still became fairly, you know [clear]. So I think we need to be fair in demarcation lines as to the responsibilities, and in this instance, it’s the responsibility of the national government,” he added.
“I think there’ll be a wider set of considerations and criteria have to come into play. In relation to that, in particular, in terms of the strategic objectives for the country is more important than any electoral consideration,” he said.
Candidates will be interviewed from mid-August, von der Leyen said.
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Just get the best for the job. No shame on choosing a man.
@Alex: DEI (die) will be the death of the West.
@sean mcnamara: DEI – Didnt Earn It!
So RTE is maintaining the good ol’ status-quo,. What exactly did Catherine Martin & all those expensive reports actually achieve over last 12 months??
@Buster Lawless: Kept her job despite her incompetence. Kept the jobs of those political hacks that serve her. All will be scattered to the winds at the next election.
@Buster Lawless: I think they are getting extra funding from our general taxes as well as the tv licence. Basically, what RTE asked for a year ago.
@did you every wonder: Champagne flowing freely in Montrose tonight, the typical ‘irish’ solution……. Get rewarded for scandal& incompetence
@Buster Lawless: the discussion was about funding: licence fee, exchequer , or a mix of the two. They chose the mix of the two option. Nothing else was on the table
@SYaxJ2Ts: nothing else on table??????
1. Close it down.
2. Go pay-per-view
There’s 2 options there off ‘the bat’
@Buster Lawless: Catherine Martin and Paschal Donohoe did not consider those two options. Once the various audits and reports were completed, and RTE agreed “in principle” to implement the recommendations, the only options on their table were the ones that I listed above
@SYaxJ2Ts: Were you there?
@Brian Hunt: no I wasn’t, but I didn’t have to be “there” to know that the government weren’t considering either a sub model or shutting it down – you just need to read, listen or watch to know this. It has been a open discussion for quite some time
@Buster Lawless: Plan all along by Catherine Martin, the Govt & RTE was to leave it as long as possible & let things die down before just continuing the Cosy Cartel. They have actually rewarded Corruption, Deception & Incompetence. No wonder trust in all Irish institutions is finished, those at the top can do as they wish, they can avoid any raids by NCBI, Revenue or CAB, no answers, no one held accountable & all swanning off with mega Exit & Pension packages & their Non Disclosure Agreements. It’s a stain on Irish history & shameful, the State no longer functions for the people, just those in power. RTE has destroyed trust through its lies, misinformation, corruption & deceit, they are the Tass News Agency of Govt. The country is rotten to the core, we need to bring it to the streets.
@SV3tN8M4: Do you have a view on the Bertie Kisser not wanting to nominate a woman for the Commissioner Position
that Ursula is some dose
@qffaffaf affrafrfraf: You’re some dose to be fair!
Getting really tired of the EU and how little power Ireland (and other small countries) have in this bloated, overgrown club run by the Germans and French for their many vested interests.
@Louise Marie: Yes: we were so prosperous up to 1973.
@Louise Marie: A lot, most, or all decisions need to be agreed by members.
Ireland, or the representatives, did agree in the past to a lot of them and that’s why ireland is paying fines for several issues year after year.
Something VRT, several environmental policies.
@Brendan O’Brien: Not by bread alone does Man live!
Best person for the job, based on skill set and experience should get it regardless of gender, and not someone as an alternative just so a quota can be filled.
Why not send the best qualified person for the job?
Imagine advertising for a post in your company & you said ” I want male AND female” candidates,????? that would be a ‘career ending’ move & RIGHTLY so
@Buster Lawless: reminds me of a joke, on the news of the arrival of a new baby to a household along with the enquiry: “well, was it a boy or a child ye had..?”
Some Green Party wan who will probably lose her seat
Can’t believe they put her in again. She’s despicable.
@Ian: she’s talented and not afraid to stand up to terrorists like Hamas
@Pat Hazzard: Hamas is fighting the terrorists who stole their country
@Ronan Meagle: you should read the history of Israel for dummy’s before posting.
@Pat Hazzard: Absolutely nonsense she is GENOCIDE
@Pat Hazzard: Your buddies in Fianna Fail voted against her, are ye trying to take over the flip flop mantle.
@Ronan Meagle: by putting babies in microwaves?
The nominee is the choice of the Government of each member State and I hope the other Governments do not give in to this nonsense. She should not have been put back into that position.
Quite correct
Let Ireland show how modern we are. We should not put forward a white, middle aged caucasian male for the position of commissioner.
Should we try a brown skinned, lesbian that was not born in Ireland ? Perhaps Ms. Von Der Leyen would think that Irish people were a great bunch if we could find such a person.
Come on Ireland, we can find that random person.
Dangerous INDIVIDUAL especially for us
Later, that will become that the man must also be a member of a minority, or the woman should be disabled or from a multicultural background.
Best person for the job should be employed. Not this nonsense.
@AnthonyK: In that case the people should decide not the Bertie Kisser
A terribly sexist request. It should be 2 people.
Why does the eu prioritise everyone outside the eu entering it than those within it?
@Paddy C: it doesn’t.
Dies thus mean that it’s a done deal?
Tanaiste doesn’t want to call the Covid investigation an Inquiry, he could call it a COVID Cover Up instead, as that is exactly what it is. Doesn’t want himself or Varadkar held responsible for the thousands of needless deaths caused by them ignoring advice & allowing the UK Variant swamp the country. Another cover up in Irish history to match those of the Magdalene Laundries, Mother & Baby Homes, Letterfrack & yet another Fianna Fail & Fine Gael shameful involvement in hiding the truth.
No surprises there! Big big bunch of misogynists in our Government!
It is not repeat not in Ireland’s interests to alienate the President of the Commission, however much we may have reservations about her and however serious those reservations may be.
It does the national interest no harm to offer a second name for the Irish Commissioner. It does it no good to refuse this reasonable request
have your say