Newsgroups: soc.motss
From: dbailey@cix.compulink.co.uk (Diane Bailey)
Subject: PP: New EC Commissioner
Reply-To: dbailey@cix.compulink.co.uk
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 13:29:00 +0000

        "Headbanger" Booted from Dublin to Brussels
        Good News for Irish Gays, But Not for Europe
                     By Diane Bailey
        for The Pink Paper, London, 7th January 1993
                       As submitted

A right-winger, described by an Member of the European Parliament
as an "headbanger", became responsible for European social and
employment affairs this week. But the vacancy he left in Dublin
may open the way to the legalisation of gay sex in Ireland.
     Mr Padraig Flynn was nominated as a European Commissioner
from Ireland two days before Christmas, and sworn in on Wednesday
of this week.
     By a decision of the other commissioners his
responsibilities are for the influential DG5 - which also covers
questions linked to Immigration, Internal and Judicial Affairs.
     Responsibilities including many crucial concerns for
lesbians and gay men, including employment and social rights,
equal pay and pensions, refugee and immigration issues, are now
in unsympathetic hands.
     Since February 1992 Mr Flynn had been Minister for Justice
for the Republic of Ireland.  His department was therefore the
one responsible for dealing with the long overdue
decriminalisation of homosexuality in that country - the only
member state of the EC still afflicted by such laws. Upon his
being appointed Minister in that department the Government's
stance on reform changed from "it is being dealt with and will be
presented in due course."
     To Susie Byrne, spokesperson for the Gay and Lesbian
Equality Network in Dublin, and political correspondent for the
Irish monthly Gay Community News, he said: "Although it is not
top of the list of priorities, it does not mean that it is off
the agenda."
     Then, in May, the Irish government's representative
told the Council of Europe that legislation to decriminalise gay
male sex would be introduced by the end of 1992.  He was
immediately contradicted by the leader of his party at home, who
said "It is not on our list of priorities."  There has
followed a period of unprecedented pressure and interest in
political and media circles, by Irish standards, on lesbian and
gay subjects.  And Padraig Flynn has been at the centre of that
controversy.
     "He's what we term in a Ireland a 'cute whore'," says Ms
Byrne.  "He'd talk the hind legs off a donkey and tries to charm
all women journalists.  Slimy and greasy would be my
description."
     Negotiations are still going on in Dublin to form a new
government after the recent general election which saw a
considerable rise in support for the Labour party.  The former,
Fianna Fail (Irish Republican Party) led, government is still in
power in a caretaker capacity but it consulted the other parties
on the selection of the new Commissioner.  Flynn's appointment
helps in forming the new government by making a place in the
cabinet for a Labour member. Since Labour, which has never been
in power in Ireland before, have been pledged since 1973 to
lesbian and gay reform, the Ministry of Justice would be a useful
office for them to have.
     "His departure means that the conservative, back-slapping,
parish pump politics that Padraig Flynn represents is being
diminished here," is Ms Byrne's assessment.
     "His wife is a prominent 'family interests' supporter, and
Mr Flynn's own political attitude to women has been poor.  When
he made a derogatory remark about Mary Robinson, as a woman,
immediately before the election for President, he probably became
a major factor in why so many women went out and voted for her,
and many men too.
     "He put his foot in it all the time.
     "He was seen as very repressive  and conservative in his
social attitudes, towards divorce and abortion as well as
homosexuality. But when he took office as Minister for Justice he
declared that he was a changed character; that, although he did
not agree with these activites he did understand compassion was
needed in these areas, and that they would have to be dealt with.
They were not."
     His predecessor at Social Affairs in the EC Commission,
Vasso Papandreou, the only woman Commissioner, was a progressive
radical on many subjects, especially those which connected with
women's issues.
     Lisa Power, who dealt with her personally on lesbian and gay
issues, described her as "extremely helpful."  When the
International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) requested a
meeting, Papandreou met with a delegation and herself proposed
funding a study of legal discrimination against lesbians and gays
in the EC, which is currently nearing completion.
     Anita Pollack, Labour member of the European Parliament for
London South-West, told The Pink Paper that she feared Padraig
Flynn would be an "utter disaster" as a Commissioner.  "He seems
to be a head-banger, an extreme right-winger, who won't bring up
any progressive initiatives."
     "The parliamentary majority is very concerned with social
issues but, although Commissioners present reports and face
questions in the Parliament, this can be avoided by sending
unprepared deputies.  Given the chance, though, we shall be
giving him a hard time," she promised.
     At present the parliament could only vote to reject the new
Commission as a whole, which it would never do.  But, under the
Maastricht treaty, if that is ratified, the European Parliament
will gain the power to approve the President and the Commission.
     "The one consolation", says Ms Pollack, is that this new
Commission is only being appointed for 2 years."  A new
Commission, appointed under the terms of Maastricht, has to take
office on 7th January 1995.
     The treaty says it "shall consist of seventeen members, who
shall be chosen on the grounds of their general competence and
whose independence is beyond doubt."
Ends
Newsgroups: soc.motss