Sir, – Phil Hogan, the EU commissioner for agriculture, has entered the debate about Ireland's future in the European Union and explicitly states that "we now need to take a very strategic and far-sighted review of our relationships with both the UK and the rest of our EU partners" ("Now is the time to cut our ties with Brexiting Britain", Opinion & Analysis, January 9th).
It is wholly inappropriate for a member of the European Commission to take such a partisan position prior to an EU negotiation.
On taking up his position in Brussels, Mr Hogan undertook to act in the EU interest, rather than the Irish national interest. Yet Mr Hogan’s opinion piece is studded with references to “we” and “our” strategic national interests.
I cannot remember a precedent for an Irish commissioner ever departing from the established norms of behaviour around partisan intervention in EU negotiations.
Mr Hogan undoubtedly feels strongly about the potential impact on Ireland of a so-called “hard Brexit”. But this is not the appropriate channel through which to deliver his message.
Mr Hogan echoes former Irish diplomat Ray Bassett in suggesting that Ireland has few allies in the European Union. This is simply untrue.
Far from being viewed as a surrogate of the UK, Ireland has charted a completely autonomous course in the Council of Ministers in Brussels, though co-operating with our nearest neighbour on a range of (though far from all) policy issues.
In a constellation of power where there are no permanent alliances, Irish officials have sought determinedly to pursue purely Irish positions independent of the United Kingdom. They will continue to do so during the Brexit negotiations and after the UK leaves the EU. – Yours, etc,
Prof JOHN O’BRENNAN,
Jean Monnet Chair
of European Integration,
Maynooth University,
Maynooth,
Co Kildare.