Fine Gael TD for Limerick Patrick O’Donovan has welcomed the nomination of Phil Hogan as the next EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Affairs and has called on opposition parties to support his nomination in the interests of the Irish Economy.
“From an Irish point of view this is the most important portfolio to get and credit must go to An Taoiseach Enda Kenny for securing such an important position for Ireland. But we now need all political parties here to unite in supporting the nomination and not to engage in short term political point scoring to undermine this hugely important role. I am calling on the Sinn Fein and Independent members of the European Parliament to support this nomination and to encourage Fianna Fáil who don’t have an MEP to support it also.”
Patrick O’Donovan said that Phil Hogan will now have overall responsibility for a €55billion budget. We know here in Co. Limerick the value of agriculture with thousands of jobs both on on and off farm enterprises worth hundreds of millions of euro annually to the local economy. We also know the value of the Rural Development Program and the Common Agricultural Policy and the supports they give directly to families and communities across Limerick and I believe it will be vital for the future of rural communities that Ireland has secured this important position.
Patrick O’Donovan said he welcomed the support of the farming organisations for Phil Hogan’s appointment and said it was clear that they were expressing the views of their thousands of members in welcoming the news.
He added “Irish people, and rural communities in general, deserve to get the support of the opposition parties for this hugely important role and I call on them to put the national interest above narrow petty political advantage.”