The appointment of Michael McGrath, the ex-Finance Minister, as the proposed next European Commissioner for Ireland, hasn’t created much of a stir. Despite senior cabinet officials trying to paint McGrath as the right choice due to his experience, the Irish government has little influence over the ultimate decision-making in Ursula von der Leyen’s future Commission. The verdict will be a result of political negotiations in Brussels.
Historically, Ireland has held a strong position in European arenas. Out of eight Secretary-Generals of the European Commission since its origination in 1958, two – David O’Sullivan and Catherine Day – have been Irish citizens. This isn’t a turn of luck. Rather, strategic decisions taken by Irish governments in the 1970s and 80s to delegate their finest civil servants to Brussels have led to fruitful results.
Contradictorily, in the early 2000s, while Irish officials were climbing the EU hierarchy, Irish politicians were becoming increasingly disengaged from the Union. This sentiment was encapsulated by ex-tanaiste Mary Harney’s statement that Ireland was “spiritually closer to Boston than Berlin”.
Several critical events such as the financial crisis, Brexit, and more recently, the pandemic, as well as new challenges like conflicts at the EU borders and the potential of another Trump term, have underscored the need for Ireland to retain its central role in the EU. The alliances will have to reassess it’s structure to be capable of handling future challenges. Hence, why it’s crucial for Ireland to continue wielding influence in Brussels.
Even though there are still a few Irish individuals who serve in authoritative positions in the EU, the number of Irish graduates taking on roles in EU institutions has considerably dwindled. The government has recognised this decline, but no substantial action has been taken thus far. The situation calls for serious consideration and redressal.