Ireland’s acquisition of the European Union commissioner role regarding justice isn’t the precise outcome the Government hoped for. As European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen received job preferences for commissioner candidates from each EU nation, the majority was inclined towards some economic or financial portfolio. With a fierce competition for the select few roles, there arose no special obligations towards Ireland on von der Leyen’s part’
The ex-financial Minister Michael McGrath has been declared the future EU commissioner overseeing democracy, justice, and the rule of law. The responsibility of the Fianna Fáil political member will be to scrutinise member states such as Hungary for violating the rule of law, enforce data protection regulations, and devise a novel strategy of preventing online disruptions by foreign forces.
Justice, seen as a respectable and balanced portfolio with certain authority, could potentially increase McGrath’s influence in Brussels if he manages to form an effective collaboration with the commission president.
Von der Leyen along with her close team of advisors have been meticulously strategising the complex task of distributing roles to nominees from each country over several weeks.
According to multiple sources, McGrath was being considered for the justice role more than a week before his appointment. Renew, the European political faction that Fianna Fáil is associated with, reportedly aimed to place one of their commissioners in the role, a major factor contributing to Ireland gaining the justice role.
Initial responses to government enquiries were rather uncertain. A sense of apprehension was sensed regarding settling for a non-finance focused role. Justice wasn’t a field traditionally within McGrath’s domain.
Even though Ireland’s robust economy would usually position it favourably for a prominent role, the country’s choice to present a sitting finance minister didn’t enhance Ireland’s chances for significant positioning as anticipated. Dublin was outflanked due to its lack of sway over von der Leyen.
Despite the Government ignoring her request to put forward a pair of candidates, one of whom should be a woman, to establish a gender-balanced group of commissioners, the Fianna Fáil MEP group of four unfortunately did not extend their support for a second von der Leyen commission, having opposed it during the European Parliament approval vote back in the summer.
In spite of the negativity, McGrath had the advantage of appearing both competent and reliable during his one-on-one meeting with von der Leyen the previous month. The EU position that each nation obtains every half a decade is akin to a game of snakes and ladders, and in this game, Ireland isn’t seen as a strong player.
In contrast, Finland, a country with population numbers on par with Ireland, managed to curry favour with von der Leyen and received recognition this week. They were prompt in their nomination for the commissioner’s position. However, unlike Ireland, the Finnish government nominated a woman – Henna Virkkunen, a current MEP and former minister. Virkkunen was subsequently appointed as an “Executive Vice President,” assigned with the responsibility for digital and tech policy. This decision placed her in a senior position within the next commission and above McGrath.
There was a fear at one point that Ireland might end up with a lesser commissioner role. The lukewarm reception of the justice commissioner position suggests the persisting belief within the government that Ireland can supersede expectations in Europe, a notion that might be either outdated or misdirected.