Replacement for Santer could be named soon - Schroeder

The German Chancellor says a replacement for Commission President, Jacques Santer, could be named soon. Gerhard Schroeder is touring EU capitals in advance of next week's meeting of European leaders in Berlin,

Mr. Schroeder is in London where the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has already called on Mr. Santer to leave his post as soon as possible. Mr Blair made his statement in the House of Commons, before his meeting with Mr. Schroeder at Downing Street.

Mr. Schroeder, whose government currently holds the EU presidency, has been in Brussels for talks with Mr. Santer. He has said that he does not believe a new commission will be in place before next week's summit in Berlin.

Pádraig Flynn has said that his future as Ireland's European Commissioner in the wake of the current crisis is something that will have to be considered by both the government and himself. On RTÉ Radio, he said that he and the other commissioners would remain in office until they are replaced, but that this matter had still to be clarified.

The entire commission resigned en masse after the publication of a report, which alleged fraud and mismanagement, findings that Mr. Flynn described as unjustified. Mr. Flynn said that the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, is travelling to Brussels this afternoon. Germany currently holds the EU presidency.

The President of the Commission, Jacques Santer, declared earlier that he is ready to stay on as President of the European Commission. However, Mr Santer told a news conference in Brussels that the report was unbalanced and he insisted that it was perfectly possible for him and his fellow commissioners to be renominated.

The resignations have plunged the European Union into crisis days ahead of a summit on key budget reforms. The Commission's unprecedented move followed publication of the report, which accused it of operating in a culture of mismanagement that fostered fraud, cronyism and nepotism.

The announcement of the resignations was made by the Commission President Santer in a news conference in Brussels just before midnight. Diplomats in Brussels said that the outgoing Commission would continue in a caretaker capacity, until the 15 member states appoint a new team.

A minority of the 20 Commissioners may be renominated by their member states for a further term. RTÉ News' Europe Editor says that, due to his political difficulties at home, Pádraig Flynn is unlikely to be one of them.

At 10 minutes to midnight, Jacques Santer confirmed the resignation of all 20 members of the European Commission. The crisis followed the publication of the 150-page investigation of mismanagement within the Commission. In its conclusions, the report said of the Commission that it is difficult to find anyone with the slightest sense of responsibility.

The main political groups in the European Parliament were lining up to fire the Commissioners if they refused to resign. It is an unprecedented situation. The Commission had nine months left to run.

The likelihood now is that Germany, the current holder of the EU presidency, will ask the 20 members to remain in a caretaker capacity, until beyond the June European elections. In theory, a new Commission could be in place by August or September.

However, EU governments will be under pressure to quickly agree a replacement for Jacques Santer. The Common Agricultural Policy reforms agreed by EU farm ministers, last week, should remain unaffected.

Efforts will also continue to agree on the share out of structural and cohesion funds at the Berlin Summit next month. But the overnight developments are sure to dominate the agenda at that two-day meeting.

A spokesperson for the Tánaiste said that Mary Harney would not be making any comment on the question of the renomination of Pádraig Flynn until she speaks to the Taoiseach later in the week, on his return from America.

Downing Street has said that it will be renominating its two Commissioners, Sir Leon Brittan and Neil Kinnock. A spokesperson said that there was no evidence to implicate the British representatives in any wrongdoing.