The Government should try to win one of the European Commission's key economic positions rather than seeking the agriculture portfolio, outgoing Irish Commissioner Mr David Byrne has clearly indicated.
However, in an article in today's Irish Times, the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, has publicly thrown his hat into the ring for the €200,000-a-year agriculture post.
Speaking in Dublin yesterday, Mr Byrne, who will finish his term in late October, acknowledged that agriculture was "the obvious portfolio" for the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, to seek in coming weeks.
However, he went on: "I would also say that Ireland has achieved such economic development over the last number of years, one of the best economies in Europe with fantastic economic growth.
"The Irish economy can be pointed to as an example of how to do it. I think the case can be made that Ireland could ask for an economic portfolio.
"It would be a perfectly legitimate thing for Ireland to seek. Even though it is a small member-state, nonetheless, the success of the Irish economy points to the fact that the Irish Government does this well.
"Agriculture is always important in Ireland. There is no doubt about that. But once you identify that Ireland is much less an agricultural country than it used to be and is now one of the shining economic successes in Europe, I think that we can lay claim legitimately to an economic portfolio."
The Dutch government is also lobbying for its Agriculture Minister, Mr Cees Veerman, to be made Agriculture Commissioner, Even though it would prefer a major economic job.
The agriculture portfolio will be still influential in the future, but the job will not be of the same rank as it is now under Austrian, Mr Franz Fischler, who also has command of the fisheries and rural development briefs.
The latter two areas will have to be separated from agriculture by the European Commission President, Mr José Manuel Durão Barroso, because he will have 10 extra Commissioners from the new member-states to occupy.
In his article in today's Irish Times, Mr Walsh describes as "shallow" those - including former Labour leader, Mr Ruairí Quinn - who argue that Ireland should not seek agriculture.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Byrne, speaking to the Association of European Journalists, said some countries believed that tax harmonisation would be "the panacea for all of their ills".
However, he said some of these countries were the very same ones who battled with the European Commission over the payment of State aids to struggling national companies.
