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Questions and Answers on Now

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  • #92
    sink
    Registered Users Posts: 4,314 ✭✭✭sink


    murphaph wrote: »
    I believe this cost issue is a red herring. Seriously, 15 commissioners and their staff or 27 will make damn all difference to the EU budget in the grand scheme of things.

    Well how many people voiced outrage at MEP's employing family members, even though in the grand scheme of things the amount of money involved was minuscule. Same can be said for those people who feel that the commission is just a place for failed politicians to go and retire at the taxpayers expense. I don't share these views but wasteful spending no matter how small is of concern to a lot of people.


  • #93
    BlitzKrieg
    Registered Users Posts: 14,685 ✭✭✭✭BlitzKrieg


    murphaph wrote: »
    I believe this cost issue is a red herring. Seriously, 15 commissioners and their staff or 27 will make damn all difference to the EU budget in the grand scheme of things.

    I wouldnt say to be an expert on the costs, but I'd say having to create 27 different portfolios (departments?) with their own staff and budgets could be a bit more substantial.

    Especially when one feels they are throwing money into the sea in some of the portfolios.


  • #94
    Dandelion6
    Registered Users Posts: 1,405 ✭✭✭Dandelion6


    sink wrote: »
    But only their constituency get to vote them in/out.

    Cabinet ministers, as TDs, are nominated by their constituency. Commissioners are also nominated by their "constituency" (member state). I find it hard to believe that any state government would nominate a Commissioner who they believe would not act in the national interest as they perceive it.
    Also most general elections result in a cabinet reshuffle, plenty of ministers have lost their posts after a general election.

    Statistically speaking (to use oscarBravo's phrase) most of them don't.
    The reason were loosing a commissioner has nothing to do with equal representation. You have to separate the two issues.

    But the reason we, and other states, are retaining a commissioner for 10 out of 15 years has everything to do with equal representation. Nobody, particularly the smaller states, would have agreed to a system that didn't divide the Commission posts equally over a certain period of time. That's because nobody really believes that Commissioners leave their national interests behind.
    The current commission is too big. Some policy areas are split over two or more commissioners, which results in inconsistent and mix messages coming from the commission. It also wastes money as the surplus commissioners even though they have no added benefit need to be provide with staff, office space and not to mention their own salaries. In other words a commission of 27 is an ineffective waste of money.

    Considering the size of the Irish cabinet for a far, far, far smaller population, I find this argument singularly unconvincing.


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