The US Senate confirmation of the new US ambassador to Ireland, Mr Richard Egan (65), will go smoothly despite reports in the Boston Globe that Senator Ted Kennedy doubts his suitability, congressional sources have insisted.
Mr Egan, founder of the computer memory business EMC, may face the Senate Foreign Relations Committee tomorrow if scheduling permits.
A spokesman for Senator Kennedy yesterday played down the Globe story, insisting that the senator was not actively seeking to block the nomination. Mr Egan had been in touch with the senator's office on Tuesday, and the two were arranging to meet.
Irish sources in Congress were surprised by Mr Kennedy's intervention as Mr Egan's nomination had been greeted with unanimous praise in March when it was announced.
Some speculated that the change in the Senate majority since then may have led Democrats, now in control, to take a more critical view. One aide described the comments as "muscle-flexing".
Senator Kennedy told the Globe that his main concern was "to make sure we're going to send to Ireland someone who has the kind of background and experience, and interest and understanding, of the various issues which are front and centre in terms of Ireland and in terms of the North.
"In regards to Mr Egan, there's very little in his background that would indicate his involvement in Irish affairs, other than his business investment."
Senator Chris Dodd, an ally of Mr Kennedy, said he would reserve his position until he had met Mr Egan. "Northern Ireland is at a critically important crossroads; that makes this post tremendously important," he said.
A spokesman for Senator Kennedy said he would not be raising issues about Mr Egan's business holdings in Ireland. He also rejected unattributed claims that the senator was concerned about Mr Egan's allegedly undiplomatic temper.
Mr Egan has been a long-standing contributor to the Republican Party, giving some $338,000 during the 1999-2000 election to the party and its candidates and $100,000 to the Bush-Cheney Inaugural Committee.
