TAOISEACH ENDA Kenny has said the Government will today consider the rejection of its nominee to the European Court of Auditors by a budgetary committee of the European Parliament.
Opposition politicians described as “embarrassing” the failure of Department of Finance secretary general Kevin Cardiff to secure the support of the committee. Mr Kenny last night said the Coalition had not yet had time to reflect on the development.
“I’m aware of the result of the vote of the members of the committee who’ve actually voted. Now the Government has not had time to consider the result and we will do so tomorrow,” Mr Kenny said.
Asked about reports that he told the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting he might push for a full European Parliament vote on Mr Cardiff’s nomination, Mr Kenny said: “No, what I’m saying to you is the Government have not had time to reflect on the decision of the members of the budgetary committee who actually voted and we will do so tomorrow.”
Labour MEP Nessa Childers, an outspoken critic of Mr Cardiff’s nomination, said she welcomed the outcome of the vote.
“I consider it to be a victory for European democracy and for MEPs and the parliament, in terms of the separation of mandates between national governments and European parliamentarians,” Ms Childers said.
Earlier this month Ms Childers said she was “not happy” with the proposed appointment following the revelation that the national debt had been mistakenly overstated by €3.6 billion.
However, last night she said: “I spoke to Mr Cardiff myself after the hearing just to make sure that even though I opposed his nomination there were no hard feelings.”
Ms Childers’s fellow Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa expressed regret at the outcome of the vote. “I will do everything I can to ensure that the parliament supports him,” he said.
Fianna Fáil spokesman on finance Michael McGrath said the incident was a “major embarrassment” for the Government.
“The fact that Fine Gael’s sister party, the EPP, voted en bloc against him is damaging for the Taoiseach and the Government,” Mr McGrath said.
He added he “felt sorry” for Mr Cardiff on a personal level, but said it was important for the Government to discuss the situation with him as soon as possible.
“If they press ahead and put the matter to a vote at parliament that’s risking further embarrassment for the country. It’s a major embarrassment for the Government that they can’t get their nomination to the court of auditors through a European Parliament committee.”
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin’s Mary-Lou McDonald criticised the Government for not withdrawing Mr Cardiff’s name from the process in advance.
She said citizens demanded and expected “full accountability” from civil servants.
“The public deserve and expect transparency and accountability from those who are tasked by government to manage the people’s money,” Ms McDonald said.
