Phil Hogan to be appointed EU Chief Trade Negotiator

Jamie2k9

RTE leading this this story now.

TBH I don't know what to make of this but I bet those London will be trilled.....

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2019/0909/1074903-phil-hogan-europe/

Headshot

Great news for Ireland's interests in Europe.

James Brown

Really gives one confidence in the caliber of the people appointed by the EU.

blanch152

Great credit to the Government and to Phil Hogan for securing such a portfolio at this crucial time in the country's history.

Usual whingers will complain about the appointment, but even if it is not the most important job in the Commission, it is where Ireland's interests most lie at this point in time.

James Brown

blanch152 wrote: »

Great credit to the Government and to Phil Hogan for securing such a portfolio at this crucial time in the country's history.

Usual whingers will complain about the appointment, but even if it is not the most important job in the Commission, it is where Ireland's interests most lie at this point in time.

Any need for that?

blackwave

Happy with the appointment, means we have a direct voice in the negotiations protecting our interests.

blanch152

Matt Barrett wrote: »

Any need for that?

I expect that the likes of Wallace and Daly will spend their time in the EP trying to justify themselves whinging about Hogan. Why can't I point that out?

Kermit.de.frog

Erm, important to remember here, Hogan's job as with all commissioners is to look after the interests of the whole EU - not exclusively Ireland.

It's obviously not a bad thing to have an Irish representative in trade - but don't over do it either.

James Brown

blanch152 wrote: »

I expect that the likes of Wallace and Daly will spend their time in the EP trying to justify themselves whinging about Hogan. Why can't I point that out?

So we can criticise Wallace and Daly and not be whingers? Thanks. Good to know.

Jim2007

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Erm, important to remember here, Hogan's job as with all commissioners is to look after the interests of the whole EU - not exclusively Ireland.

It's obviously not a bad thing to have an Irish representative in trade - but don't over do it either.

It won't stop the BREXITEERS from blaming him for all their problems if they ever get to the stage where they are negotiating a trade deal.

is_that_so

Matt Barrett wrote: »

Really gives one confidence in the caliber of the people appointed by the EU.

He was nominated by an EU member and approved by the EU parliament. The only "appointing" was the EU giving him a specific job out of a limited number of jobs.

jm08

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Erm, important to remember here, Hogan's job as with all commissioners is to look after the interests of the whole EU - not exclusively Ireland.

It's obviously not a bad thing to have an Irish representative in trade - but don't over do it either.

I recall reading that Juncker selected Commissioners from countries that had an issue with the particular portfolio. For example, he put a Brit in charge of overseeing banking regs as the Brits had most problems with them. Hogan got Agriculture because Ireland had a lot of issues with dairy quotas, CAP and south american beef. I've heard Hogan say before that he works for the EU, not Ireland and that Commissioners take an oath that they will put the interests of the EU first, but it sure helps that Hogan will really understand the NI/Ireland trade situation better than the Brits do and will be well up to speed with all the agric. issues which are generally the most problematic when it comes to trade.

When it comes to a trade deal with the US, I'd imagine that the EU want to put to good use the many Irish-American connections that should help in the negotiations.

blanch152

Matt Barrett wrote: »

So we can criticise Wallace and Daly and not be whingers? Thanks. Good to know.

When I was talking about whingers, I wasn’t talking about posters on this thread, as my posts indicate.

For some reason unclear to me, you drew an incorrect inference.

So yes, you can criticise Wallace and Daly and not be a whinger.

malinheader

Is this the same Hogan who told us how great the water meters were, and when things went pear shaped they shipped him out.

jimmycrackcorm

malinheader wrote: »

Is this the same Hogan who told us how great the water meters were, and when things went pear shaped they shipped him out.

Then he's suited to the job in the EU where every other country has water charges.

malinheader

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Then he's suited to the job in the EU where every other country has water charges.

Agree. I had no issue with water charges, my issue was with the way they were being introduced.
Proper working system first then meters. It was a disaster from start to finish. Should be well suited to the EU.

riddles

The man who ruined footpaths the length and breath of the country. He has balls of steel and a neck like a jockeys boll1x to be that incompetent but put his mush up there. Hats off to him doesn’t succumb to the auld self awareness

Penn

malinheader wrote: »

Agree. I had no issue with water charges, my issue was with the way they were being introduced.
Proper working system first then meters. It was a disaster from start to finish. Should be well suited to the EU.

Plus they were saying we should pay for water, but we were already paying for water as part of our standard tax, but no reduction in tax was being proposed to offset creating Irish Water as a separate charge.

It wasn't the water charges that were the issue for most, it was how badly it was introduced and pushed.

L1011

Penn wrote: »

Plus they were saying we should pay for water, but we were already paying for water as part of our standard tax, but no reduction in tax was being proposed to offset creating Irish Water as a separate charge.

It wasn't the water charges that were the issue for most, it was how badly it was introduced and pushed.

General taxation was not covering outgoings (even ignoring debt servicing) at the time. Tax wasn't paying for everything. Covering IW costs from taxation would need more tax coming in to begin with

It's likely there'd have been further cuts to USC and increases in the top rate band if there was a solid non-exchequer income stream coming in to Irish Water. Particularly if it had been independent enough to pass the Markets Test for off balance sheet borrowing

ancapailldorcha

No more insults, one-liners or sniping please. Posts deleted.

malinheader wrote: »

Is this the same Hogan who told us how great the water meters were, and when things went pear shaped they shipped him out.

A belligerent individual, who threatened to turn down the water pressure if people didn't stump up. When the campaign inevitably soured, it wasn't surprising that connections were pulled to land him a cushy number in Europe. The odious image of him grinning like a hyena lingers.

irishgrover

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

No more insults, one-liners or sniping please. Posts deleted.

genuinely not being funny, but when you say "no more insults" do you mean against other posters or does that include Phil Hogan.
Perhalps I should be doing this by PM, if so, sorry

James Brown

Deleted User wrote: »

A belligerent individual, who threatened to turn down the water pressure if people didn't stump up. When the campaign inevitably soured, it wasn't surprising that connections were pulled to land him a cushy number in Europe. The odious image of him grinning like a hyena lingers.

I don't see why people might think he'll look out for the Irish public when he never did while working in Ireland.

ancapailldorcha

irishgrover wrote: »

genuinely not being funny, but when you say "no more insults" do you mean against other posters or does that include Phil Hogan.

Both.

irishgrover wrote: »

Perhalps I should be doing this by PM, if so, sorry

No worries. You can PM any more questions to me.

I didn't have a particular problem with water charges as long as everyone paid. It effectively widened the tax base by having, in theory, almost every household pay this charge and this is where the main problem was - some people never want to pay for anything and expect working people to fund everything via income tax. It was those people that rallied against the charges the most and turned many others against it then.

The way I looked at it I was paying for my water via income tax anyway, this charge was getting more people to pay for their water too.

As for the insults aimed at Hogan here - some of those "qualities" make him well suited to be a tough trade negotiator.

jm08

Phil Hogan is before the European Parliament today at 6.30-9pm.

You can watch here:

https://www.politico.eu/article/commissioner-hearings-day-1-live-blog-phil-hogan-maros-sefcovic-mariya-gabriel-european-commission/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=alert&utm_campaign=Commissioner+hearings+Day+1%3A+Live+blog&utm_source=POLITICO.EU&utm_campaign=5138f5dcf8-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_09_30_12_26&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_10959edeb5-5138f5dcf8-190393289