EU Affairs Committee expresses concern about European Court of Auditors member’s emails

During the meeting, Mr O’Shea was questioned about emails he sent on 6 October to two Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control, which were critical of the Irish Government and their nominee to replace Mr O’Shea at the Court of Auditors. The Committee on Budgetary Control rejected the nomination by one vote yesterday.

Chairman of the European Affairs Committee Joe Costello, TD, said: “During the meeting Mr O’Shea outlined the nature of his correspondence with Socialist MEP Jens Geier and Ingeborg Grässle, an MEP for the European People’s Party.”

“Both MEPs are coordinators for the largest groupings on European Parliament’s Budgetary Control Committee. I am concerned that the emails sent to these two MEPs might have influenced the Committee’s vote to reject the application of Mr Kevin Cardiff yesterday.

“I have spoken with Jan Mulder MEP, Chair of the Committee on Budgetary Control. Along with a delegation of the EU Affairs Committee, I may meet him in person if necessary.”

Deputy Costello concluded: “We intend to communicate all the information supplied to us to the Parliament's Budgetary Control Committee. We will also send a copy of the email and a transcript of our Committee’s deliberations today to the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for European Affairs. ”

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Committee on European Union Affairs
Membership
Deputies
Joe Costello, TD (Chairman)
Paschal Donohoe, TD (Vice-Chairman)
Timmy Dooley, TD
Bernard J Durkan, TD
Colm Keaveney, TD
Seán Kyne, TD
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, TD
Joe O’Reilly, TD
Mick Wallace, TD
Senators
Colm Burke,
Fidelma Healy Eames,
James Heffernan,
Terry Leyden,
Kathryn Reilly