Zebra3 wrote: » In a proper democracy, with ethical guidelines sworn to, a politician would go to jail for all that.
Muahahaha wrote: » Hogan didnt implement Mercosur but he does support it and has said as much. If Brazilian beef ends up on Irish supermarket shelves there will be war with the farmers. Why should they be implementing higher standards in beef farming and traceability of food if the Brazilians can just come in and undercut them anyway. Details of Hogans property borrowings came out in 2012. Hogan is very much part of the Golden Circle and like many politicians he had access to cheap interest only loans from Michael Fingleton of the now defunct Irish Nationawide Bank. Fingleton ran an account called the 'No.3 account' which had millions in it ready to lend out to politicians at very low interest rates or interest only rates. There was little to no paperwork or due diligence for these loans and a politician could ring up Fingeton himself personally and borrow hundreds of thousands over the phone. As a quid pro quo Fingleton got the light touch/no touch regulation that he wanted for the banking sector and which ultimately led to the taxpayer having to bail them out to the tune of 5.4 billionhttps://www.independent.ie/business/irish/fingleton-used-special-account-for-politically-sensitive-loans-29090497.html Here is where Phil benefits from the No.3 account set up by Michael Fingetonhttps://www.independent.ie/business/irish/nationwides-soft-loan-to-hogan-26873373.html Theres a book called 'Fingers' by Tom Lyons and Richard Curran. In it they also revealed that during the Celtic Tiger Phil Hogans constituency office was located inside a building that was both owned by Irish Nationwide and had a branch of the bank inside it. So they were renting him an office and also giving him cheap bargain loans whenever he wanted them.
jm08 wrote: » Maire Geoghegan-Quinn? She had been a minister though (Justice & Tourism). You don't have to be a sitting TD.
L1011 wrote: » Sutherland wasn't a Minister, nor was David Byrne. They had both been AG, though. I don't think we can send Woulfe!
Happydays2020 wrote: » The former SG of the Commission and former EU Ambassador to the US (David O’Sullivan) has been mentioned as an Irish candidate who would allow us to keep the Trade portfolio.
Mercosur, there's another.
Hawthorn Tree wrote: » How did Hogan afford an apartment in the K Club? They cost 420,000 Euros.
Irish Nationwide had a special bank account called the 'No. 3 account' which was used to immediately disburse funds when required for sensitive situations. The account was jointly controlled by Michael Fingleton, the building society's boss, and just one other member of staff between 2002 and 2008. It could make payments without formal limits and was used for purposes including granting loans to politically sensitive figures or for the settlement of disputes. The existence of this unorthodox bank account was one of many unusual practices identified by forensic accountants from Ernst & Young, who were asked to trawl through the society by the State, post the bank guarantee.
Phil Hogan, the minister responsible for collecting the household charge, availed of "soft" loans of close to €900,000 that were approved by toxic building society boss Michael Fingleton who has cost the State €5.4bn. Hogan's unorthodox loans were personally approved by Fingleton to allow him buy a pied-a-terre house in Dublin 4 and a luxurious penthouse in Portugal using two interest- only loans of at least a decade each, an aggressive equity release, and what appears to have been, for his final loan, minimal paperwork. Hogan joins a host of politicians -- from Charlie McCreevy, the ex-Finance Minister who helped create Ireland's property bubble, to Francie O'Brien, the ex-senator who was also a business partner of Fingleton -- who availed of the building society boss's loans.
L1011 wrote: » Decent choice if they don't go for a woman - we were asked to put forward a woman last time and, well, didn't.
L1011 wrote: » FFs last appointee wasn't even a sitting TD (MGQ) remember. It'll be a woman, almost certainly.
is_that_so wrote: » Thought she was younger than 70. A new Commissioner would just replace the outgoing one as the EP only votes on the full Commission and not individuals.
RandomViewer wrote: » She'd be pension age as well, would a senator qualify?
Uriel. wrote: » How is it "gas" that he's doing his job? Why wouldn't he? If he wasn't you'd be on here moaning about him not doing the job he's paid for.
jm08 wrote: » It would have to be someone from the present Government as there are very few FFers now with ministerial experience as they have been out of power for about 10 years now.
Mrcaramelchoc wrote: » I for one want him gone.
is_that_so wrote: » 3, two of them are near the 70 mark and the other is the leader! Frances Fitzgerald could be an option. She's over there anyway!
jm08 wrote: » It has to be ratified by all 27 EU members. So far, Austria has refused to ratify it and both Merkel and Macron have both said its looks like its dead.https://www.oliveoiltimes.com/business/german-chancellor-casts-doubt-over-landmark-e-u-mercosur-trade-deal/85107
stockshares wrote: » This is gas. Phil Hogan is taking part in Webinar for EUhttps://twitter.com/tconnellyRTE/status/1298638826412408832?s=19 Here's the linkhttps://youtu.be/1EDxfP-AXSA
mick087 wrote: » A Minister is first elected to goverment by its citizens they then get a position as a minister. Being a minister makes you even more accountable than being just a TD A commissioner is selected never elected by its citizens.
RandomViewer wrote: » It will be an FF appointee , still one head down if Hogan goes
Edgware wrote: » I heard that Margaret Cash owns it
jm08 wrote: » Most MEPs don't have the experience of ministerial experience*. I think Frances Fitzgerald would be the only eligible MEP at the moment as she was a cabinet minister. *Martin Weber who was the European Parliaments selection as Commission President was rejected by the Council of Ministers because he had no experience of being a Government Minister.
