Sinn Fein Minister’s congratulatory letter to Phil Hogan not an endorsement - Carthy

The Sinn Fein MEP for the Midlands North-West Constituency, Matt Carthy, has dismissed Phil Hogan’s attempt to discredit him during Mr Hogan's appearance in front of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee last week [Oct 2nd].  Mr Hogan was questioned by MEPs during his hearing before the Committee for the position of EU Agriculture Commissioner. During the hearings Mr Hogan quoted from a letter that was sent to him by Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Fein's Agriculture Minister in Northern Ireland. She congratulated Mr Hogan on his appointment in the letter. Mr Hogan referred to the letter during his hearings and he said he hoped Mr Carthy wouldn’t get into trouble for questioning his fitness to be a commissioner. However, Matt Carthy said that the Minister's letter was not an endorsement of Mr Hogan's candidacy.