MEP accuses Byrne and his advisors of playing politics

Date: 30/05/02

By David Cronin

EU FOOD safety chief David Byrne has been accused of meddling in domestic Irish politics by one of his country's MEPs.

John Cushnahan, a member of centre-right opposition party Fine Gael, is tabling a Parliamentary question over a recent attack on his colleague Mary Banotti by one of Byrne's officials. After she predicted that the Nice Treaty is 'doomed' to defeat in the second Irish referendum on the issue, the unnamed Byrne aide said it was a 'bit rich' for anyone in Fine Gael to be predicting poll results.

This remark was taken as a reference to the party doing worse than expected in the 17 March election, winning just 31 seats, compared to 54 in 1997.

Byrne, who was Ireland's attorney-general before his current post, has never held elected office but is a close friend of Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and a supporter of the main government party, Fianna Fáil.

He has also taken flak from anti-Nice campaigners, who are unhappy that he is urging a 'Yes' vote in the referendum due later this year.

According to Cushnahan, this is not the first time Byrne or his advisors have behaved in a 'nakedly political way' since his appointment to the Commission.

In Parliamentary exchanges during last year's foot-and-mouth disease crisis, the MEP asked Byrne whether he welcomed the decision by Fine Gael's then leader to cancel its annual conference as a precautionary measure. In reply, Byrne said he doubted if many would have turned up to the event in any case.

Byrne's spokeswoman, Beate Gminder, said: 'I think Mr Byrne sees his role as promoting European politics and integration. He has clearly done that. He has no interest in intervening in domestic politics and I think he would refute these allegations.'

Byrne is the third commissioner to have been accused recently of getting his hands dirty with national politics. Dutch MEPs alleged single market chief Frits Bolkestein was neglecting his Brussels duties to campaign for the Liberal (VVD) party ahead of the 15 May general election.

And social affairs head Anna Diamantopoulou caused anger by excoriating those Greeks who oppose making English the country's official second language.

The Commission defended both. Its code of conduct states that commissioners may be involved in party or trade union activities, provided this does not affect their main work.

Food Safety Commissioner David Byrne has been accused of meddling in domestic Irish politics.