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Enda Kenny’s former chief economic adviser, Andrew McDowell, has been surveyed by the government about his interest in becoming Ireland’s next European Commissioner.
The Irish Independent understands that McDowell, outgoing Vice President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), was approached by high-level political figures in recent days to establish his interest and availability for the position left vacant by Phil Hogan.
McDowell is understood to have confirmed his interest in the position, but the Coalition is believed to be more likely to favor running political candidates over a technocrat who has no experience in elected office.
Foreign Minister Simon Coveney and MEPs Mairead McGuinness and Frances Fitzgerald continued to be seen last night as the candidates most likely to be presented to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
There is a strong expectation in government circles that the Coalition will submit the name of a man and a woman as requested by Ms. Von der Leyen. The latter administration ignored the same request when it established its College of Commissioners in 2019. Hogan, who resigned as Commissioner of Commerce last week due to the Golfgate controversy, was the only name proposed at that time.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan are still arguing who should be nominated as Hogan’s successor.
This follows a push from Ryan, who was told by his parliamentary party on Monday to ensure that the government put forward two names for the position, including a woman and a man.
“It was discussed and there was a feeling that there should be two and he said we would try,” said a Green Party source.
At one point yesterday, some in the government believed that the three leaders had agreed to comply with Ms Von der Leyen’s request for two names and gender balance in the nominees.
Later, sources said that Martin said at a cabinet meeting that this had not yet been agreed.
A government spokesman said last night: “Internal discussions are still ongoing.”
The approach to Mr. McDowell shows that the government has considered expanding the network than simply looking to politicians for the role.
McDowell served as chief economic advisor to the former Taoiseach Enda Kenny from 2011 to 2016 before the last government nominated him to the senior position at the Luxembourg-based bank for the last government in the summer of 2016.
McDowell yesterday ended his four-year term as vice president of the EIB, the EU’s lending arm.
He posted on Twitter: “Every day working for the ‘Bank of the EU’ has been a privilege.”
The European Commission spokeswoman, Dina Spinant, said yesterday: “The ball is in the court of the Irish authorities to present names.”
He reiterated Ms Von der Leyen’s wish that Ireland submit at least two names, including a man and a woman, saying: “Gender balance is very important to President von der Leyen.”
When asked whether the government’s decision to send two names would influence Ms Von der Leyen’s decision on whether or not Ireland will retain the powerful trading post, the spokesperson said Ms Von der Leyen would decide on the allocation of wallets when you have “the name on the table”.
Irish independent
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