Adams challenges Hogan’s suitability to be EU commissioner

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan should answer questions in the Dáil if he is appointed EU commissioner, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has said. Mr Hogan's appointment is expected to be announced this week, probably today, when details of the Cabinet reshuffle are released.

Mr Adams referred to the widespread speculation that Taoiseach Enda Kenny would appoint Mr Hogan to the post. "I will not ask him to comment on that today, but there is a number of unanswered questions about the Minister's suitability," he added.

He said Mr Hogan had appointed seven former Fine Gael and Labour councillors to State boards and he was "mired in controversy" when it came to the planning process. He had appointed an individual as deputy chairman of An Bord Pleanála who was a former technical director of a private engineering company which framed a series of controversial projects that had come before the board.

He added that there was scrutiny at EU level of a nominated commissioner. "Should there be the same scrutiny here in the Dáil?" he asked. He said Mr Kenny should facilitate a process whereby the nominee for the position would answer questions in the Dáil or before an Oireachtas committee.

Mr Kenny said for the first time since the foundation of the State, people deemed appropriate for appointment to boards went before the relevant Oireachtas committee to articulate the experience they would offer. “It is a case of appointing people who have a measure of experience to boards,” he added.

Mr Kenny said any nominee for a commissioner post had to go before the European parliament to determine their suitability. Mr Adams said the nominee would not be questioned in Ireland.

Mr Kenny said "all the MEPs, over 750, will have the opportunity during the three- or four-hour session". He added that when somebody was appointed, Mr Adams could have whatever questions he liked asked by his party's members in the European forum. He said Sinn Féin had appointed Lynn Boylan to the chair of the advisory board of safefood, and he believed she was a good candidate for the job.

Mr Adams said that when Mr Hogan came into office, he closed the inquiry which his predecessor, John Gormley, had initiated into planning irregularities and alleged planning corruption in seven local council areas. In Donegal, he said, a senior planner had raised serious allegations and the Minister had been made aware of extremely serious planning irregularities in Wicklow, including the highly controversial M 11 rezoning decision.

“A range of planning debacles and controversies surround Uisce Éireann and the Poolbeg incinerator,” added Mr Adams.