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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaking with European Commissioner for Trade Phil Hogan in January. DPA/PA Images

Von der Leyen says government must propose a woman and a man as candidates to replace Phil Hogan

Phil Hogan resigned as Trade Commissioner last night.

LAST UPDATE | 27 Aug 2020

URSULA VON DER Leyen has invited the Irish government to propose “suitable candidates” for the EU commissioner vacancy vacated by Phil Hogan. 

In a brief statement this morning, the European Commission President thanked Hogan for his contribution to the EU, but acknowledged the anger his actions had caused. 

“As Europe fights to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, and Europeans make sacrifices,” she said, “I expect the members of the college to be particularly vigilant about compliance with applicable national or regional rules and regulations”. 

“It is now up to the Irish government to present suitable candidates for the commissioner of Irish nationality,” she said. The government will be asked to propose a woman and a man, von der Leyen said. 

She said she would then decide on whether there would be a new allocation of portfolios. 

 Reaction

Since Hogan’s resignation last night, attention has turned to who may take his place. The European Commission may just slot in another Trade Commissioner, rather than do a full reshuffle, an Irish MEP has said.

Seán Kelly, a member of the European Parliament for Ireland South, said he hopes Ireland will retain the role after Phil Hogan’s resignation last night.

Kelly told Morning Ireland he believes Hogan’s decision to resign was the right course of action.

When asked if he thought an Irish person would replace Hogan, he said: “I would hope so.”

There are fears Ireland will lose the trade portfolio at a crucial time in Brexit negotiations.

The process to appoint a new commissioner could take weeks and Kelly said von der Leyen “may not want a reshuffle”, particularly as trade talks continue between the EU and the UK.

However, he added that von der Leyen may see this week’s events as an opportunity to reshuffle if she believes some commissioners are underperforming in their current roles.

While there is no guarantee Ireland will keep the trade portfolio, there is speculation over who will be nominated.

The names being mentioned include Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Simon Coveney; Tánaiste Leo Varadkar; Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe; former Taoiseach Enda Kenny; David O’Sullivan, former EU Ambassador to the US; current MEP and former minister Frances Fitzgerald; Mairead McGuinness, a vice president of the European Parliament; and former minister Richard Bruton.

Coveney is tipped as the favourite to replace Hogan as Ireland’s EU Commissioner. While some have mentioned Varadkar’s name in the mix, due to him taking over the post of Taoiseach in 2022 it is unlikely he would give that up to go to Brussels. 

Due to Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe taking on the presidency of the Eurogroup, he is unlikely to get the role.

Enda Kenny is highly regarded in Europe, and has been previously tipped for some top jobs in the past.

A spokesperson for the Commission president told a press conference today that Hogan took the step himself to tender his resignation, and explained the reasons why in his statement last night.

She said the president has an objective of achieving gender balance in the commission college, which is why she invited the Irish government to put forward two names for the job.

The spokesperson confirmed that von der Leyen conveyed the message in person to Taoiseach this morning that it is important to start the process and put forward the names.

“The timeline is in the court of the Irish authorities,” she said.

It is important that the president has a “strong team in place” that is “ready for action”, said the spokesperson. She said it is important the Irish authorities come forward with the proposed names “as quickly as possible”.

Golfgate

Hogan resigned from his role as EU Commissioner for Trade last night amid widespread criticism over his attendance at an Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in Co Galway, as well as his movements in Ireland in recent weeks – which were in breach of Covid-19 guidelines.

Hogan on Tuesday day published a lengthy statement and timeline attempting to explain his movements in Ireland leading up to his attendance at the controversial event in Clifden on 19 August.

The leaders of the coalition – Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánasite Leo Varadkar and Minister Eamon Ryan – had called on Hogan but reflect on his position, but ultimately his fate was up to von der Leyen.

In a statement published just before 9pm yesterday, Hogan confirmed his resignation.

“It was becoming increasingly clear that the controversy concerning my recent visit to Ireland was becoming a distraction from my work as an EU Commissioner and would undermine my work in the key months ahead.

“I deeply regret that my trip to Ireland – the country that I have been so proud to represent as a public servant for most of my adult life – caused such concern, unease and upset,” he said.

With reporting from Dominic McGrath and Christina Finn

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    Mute Eoin Ó Cuinneagáin
    Favourite Eoin Ó Cuinneagáin
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 8:36 AM

    But house prices still rising & interest rates higher then European counterparts…..

    133
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    Mute Full Circle
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 8:44 AM

    Not much shock they are making a loss, there’s constant ads for them about mortgages but when apply for one the staff at the branch can’t even understand a credit union statement!

    114
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    Mute Alan Fitzgerald
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 9:43 AM

    @Full Circle: yes I agree, i went in to them enquiring about a mortgage and there was questions no other bank asked me and it seemed they are looking for ways to not give it to you. I went to EBS and had the opposite they were upbeat and positive and actively working to help you and had a can do attitude. I’ve learned from my experience sometimes it depends on the person you are lucky enough to meet on the day and how well they are prepared to put the work in and present your information in the best light to the underwriters who ultimately makes the calls. Some will just bang your details in to a computer and that’s it others will work with you and help you.

    45
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    Mute Gerard Heery
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 8:45 AM

    Top men on 500000 each, get a college graduate to take their golfing jobs ,there a few mil saved already ha.

    63
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    Mute artur fil
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 8:46 AM

    Central Statistics Office has provided estimates of the value of savings within Irish economy that have reached “between 28-30% of the value of all of the income within economy” . According to CSO and central bank people saved a lot of money during the lockdown.

    21
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    Mute Gerard Heery
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 9:30 AM

    @artur fil: there’s nothing to spend on other than the house at the moment, a car is becoming a milestone, tax and insurance to do 5km a day, I reckon that the government is working on ways to relieve you of your saving like higher home tax, tax on savings thru negative interest tax, and the banks stealing Your Own money by charging you for using it ,would not worry about there loads of wouldn’t walk on the same side of the road as the sun so they wouldn’t have to carry their shadow after the benefits your hard earned money will bring them.

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    Mute Shougeki
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 6:13 PM

    @Gerard Heery: “Millstone” not “Milestone”. As in “Millstone around your neck” – originally meant as a way to weigh someone down so they died by drowning as a capital punishment.

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    Mute David Bourke
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 10:37 AM

    They can blame covid all they like, but the fact is they’re an incompetent bank that treats their customers like dirt.

    I left (with some difficulty I might add, they did not make it easy to close my account, and continued charging me after I submitted a more than one form to close the account) after years of banking with them when I realised that some banks actually *wanted* customers.

    They seem to hire the most disinterested employees they can find, and only open for 2-3 hours on a full moon. Useless bank, hope it collapses.

    34
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    Mute martin hayes
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 9:37 AM

    I am quite sure all of our hearts will be bleeding for those poor misfortune thieves

    34
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    Mute cryptodon
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 10:12 AM

    Defi is going to cause real problems for them very soon

    13
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    Mute Contrary Mary
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 9:59 AM

    Wonder how much was made from those charged per transaction requiring a card. Had to be a pretty penny or two.

    10
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    Mute brendan o connell
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 1:53 PM

    I went to them years ago for a small loan, I had been with them for years it was very big deal and got turned down , went down road to credit union no prob at all… So it was good bye to tsb then.

    6
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    Mute
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 12:33 PM

    There is only one bank that’s the best at anything and that’s the BOM Bank Of Matress

    5
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    Mute brendan o connell
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 1:48 PM

    @: I hope it is fireproof and thief proof.

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    Mute eoin o fainin
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 12:14 PM

    Those poor bankers

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    Mute Stiofán De Priondárgas
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 7:03 PM

    And is this the bank the Ulster Bank customers are supposed to move to?

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    Mute Padraig O'Shea
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    Mar 3rd 2021, 1:32 PM

    That’s because there is no one to answer the phones anymore… which I can’t understand… only company I have come across that u can’t contact to give money to… but the advisers that have everything streamlined know best…efficiency with the cost of customer service will not work in the banks best interest longterm..

    3
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    Mute Top Horse Shop
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    Mar 4th 2021, 4:29 AM

    They have sold some of their loan book to the vultures and they are buying some of Ulsters loan book ,one couldn’t make this up, would be better off to go like AIB who are going gambling with Goodbodys and maybe buy a couple of bookie shops

    1
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