Tag Archives: Nessa Childers

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Phil Hogan

You may recall how Independent MEP Nessa Childers wrote to all the members of the Social Democrats group – 191 members – of the European Parliament, in which she said she had “serious reservations” about Mr Hogan getting the EU Commissioner post.

Ms Childers specifically wrote about how Mr Hogan, as Environment Minister, had written to some of his constituents in Kilkenny, telling them a Traveller family – Patrick and Brigid Carthy and their seven children – would not be moved to a house near them.

During an interview on September 10, Mr Hogan told RTÉ Ms Childers assertions were ‘absolute rubbish’ and suggested they may be dealt with in the courts.

Mr Hogan is set to go before the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture to be questioned about his suitability to become the next Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Further to this, RTÉ reports:

“Mr Hogan’s solicitors have threatened legal action against Ms Childers if she did not withdraw her allegations within five days, and challenging her claim that as an MEP she enjoyed parliamentary privilege.”
…
“Last night in a letter, seen by RTÉ News, Ms Childers wrote to the Committee on Legal Affairs of the European parliament requesting that the chairman reassure MEPs that they can, quote, discharge their duties of scrutiny without hindrance or fear of legal retaliation.”

Hogan threatens legal action against MEP Nessa Childers (RTÉ)

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Former Environment Minister Phil Hogan

On foot of Phil Hogan being confirmed as the European Union’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, he spoke to Seán O’Rourke earlier.

During the interview he addressed the matter of Independent MEP Nessa Childers writing to all the members of the Social Democrats group – 191 members – of the European Parliament, in which she said she had “serious reservations” about Mr Hogan getting the EU Commissioner post.

Ms Childers specifically wrote about how Mr Hogan, as Environment Minister, had written to some of his constituents in Kilkenny, telling them a Traveller family – Patrick and Brigid Carthy and their seven children – would not be moved to a house near them.

Phil Hogan: “Can I say that the assertions made by Nessa Childers are absolute rubbish and they will be dealt with at the European Parliament, if they arise, and they will be dealt with in the courts, in due course.”

Seán O’Rourke: “And then, more recently, there was the story on Sunday last, to the effect you knew far more than you were admitting about the detailed costs being run up by Irish Water in their establishment, particularly in regard to consultants, and you didn’t tell the full story.”

Hogan: “And that’s absolute rubbish as well, Seán. And I know that there has to be bit of a silly season but this is a silly season story where I’ve done, where I’ve actually, on regular occasions to the Dáil, and indeed the Irish Water company told the European, told the environment committee and the public accounts committee, I’ve explained all of the headings that the company have to work with, in order to give indicative allocations of money, for, to set up a new company. I don’t expect that anyone, or didn’t expect that anyone would set up a new company without it costing some money. Irish Water, by its establishment, is saving considerable amount of money already in various schemes right around Ireland and it shows the importance of water quality and the investment that’s required in water and sewage treatment plants if we want a competitive Ireland and, indeed a competitive Europe.”

O’Rourke: “I know that’s, and I suppose that’s the big principle of this thing and that’s why it was set up but in regard to your own knowledge of the detail, did you effectively hide the extent of that detailed knowledge?”

Hogan: “No, I certainly indicated that there was a overall figure required to establish a new company and, in due course, the, all of the tendering procedures have to go through one of the various headings and under the various systems that have been put in place to set up a new commercial, semi-State company. And it will be seen, in time, Seán, that it was worthwhile and that Irish Water got on with the job of implementing a very important program for the country, to create jobs and sustain jobs for the year ahead. If we don’t have good water quality, we won’t have jobs in Ireland and we won’t have good public health.”

Listen back in full here

Previously: The Negative Noise Around Phil Hogan

Anything Good In ‘The Parliament’?

Dear EU Commission

Big Phil’s Fat Gypsy Prejudice

Turning The Story On Its Head

Why Did Phil Hogan Stop Six Separate Planning Inquiries?

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(Top) Brian Hayes and  Eamon Ryan  (above) calling for a recount.

4am: A night of high drama in the RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin as the Dublin European election went to a 7th count to decide the final 2 seats.

Lynn Boylan of Sinn Féin was the first candidate to be elected on count 3 after recording an initial 83,264 first preferences votes.

By count 7, it came down to Eamon Ryan (Green), Nessa Childers (Ind) and Brian Hayes (Fine Gael) for the remaining two seats.

It ended with victory to Childers (73,598) and Hayes (73,405) with Ryan closely behind on 72,256 votes who immediately asked for a recount.

A decision on whether a recount will be held will be made at 2pm this afternoon. If Brian Hayes is elected, a by-election in Dublin South West will be needed to decide his vacant Dáil seat.

Recount Requested in Dublin Constituency (RTE)

Meanwhile, earlier…

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From top: Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) following the third count; and the eliminated: Emer Costello (Labour) with her husband Joe Costello TD and Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail).

(Laura Hutton, Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)

 

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“I entered politics to help people, and am now resigning from the PLP because I no longer want to support a government that is actually hurting people.

“It is predicted that Ireland will have to experience tight budgets for the foreseeable future, long after we exit the bail-out programme. My question is will this Government continue with business as usual and ignore the lack of fairness across government policy.

“My dissatisfaction with the party in government has been known for some time; however recent statements from the Labour Ministers have dismayed me. They continue to insist that because of the dire economic situation there is no alternative to current government policies.

“The government is implementing harmful conservative policies. Senior Labour people appear to refuse to discuss or acknowledge recent research that shows that the greatest impact of financial distress has been seen in the lower income households in Ireland, and that the austerity agenda is not improving the real economy lived and experienced by ordinary people.

“I think there is a possibility that we could see a group of people coming together to take up the ideas and values of Labour – leaving the party and its members hostage to a leadership that appears to be more comfortable with policies that protect the more privileged in Irish society.

“The party leadership’s strategy of attacking people who are loyal to the party’s stated policies; coupled with their objection to a special party conference and objection to renegotiating the Programme for Government signals that they is completely cut off from the concerns of the party members and Labour party ideals and values.

“Senior members of the party have led the PLP to an impasse. How long will TDs and Senators continue along this path, before they reach the point of no return?”

Statement from Nessa Childers MEP (pictured above with Labour leader Eamon Gilmore in 2009),

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(Eamon Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

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Labour MEP Nessa Childers has called for EU economics commissioner Olli Rehn to resign over the Cypriot bailout.

She described as a “terrible mistake” the €10bn deal which includes small Cypriot depositors with less than € 100,000 in the levy on bank accounts.

Ms Childers has written to Europe an Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso asking for Mr Rehn’s resignation over the “fiasco”.

“It is simply unfair, undemocratic and could even lead to a bank run in other parts of Europe,” she said in a statement today.

The decision to impose losses on small depositors “crossed an extremely important red line in the crisis” and “must be reversed immediately”, she said.

Ms Childers says while the ECB, IMF, Cyprian government and all finance ministers involved share the blame, the blunder by Mr Rehn come after “years of failed austerity policy” presided over by him.

Childers seeks Rehn resignation over Cyprus (Genevieve Carberry, Irish Times)

(Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland)