Phil Hogan has cleared the first hurdle in his bid to become a new EU Commissioner.

MEPs at the European Parliament have voted to approve his appointment as the Commissioner of Agriculture.

His name will now go forward as part of the full team of Commissioners, who will face a vote by the entire European Parliament later this month.

Assuming the new Commission is approved, Mr Hogan will take office on November the 1st and resign his seat as a TD.

Earlier, he admitted sending CVs to Irish Water to try and get jobs for his constituents.

But he said he must be 'losing his influence', because none of the candidates he recommended actually got jobs with the semi-state.

He was questioned on his role in the introduction of water charges at the European Parliament this morning.

And he has told Luke 'Ming' Flanagan that every politician's job is to try and find work for their constituents.

Meanwhile the Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been defending the actions of Mr Hogan over Irish Water jobs.

Mr Kenny has rubbished suggestions that cronyism is affecting his party.

Mr Hogan faced tough questions before MEPs this morning in a final bid to secure his new job as an EU Commissioner.

The Carlow-Kilkenny TD  was questioned for three hours in front of a committee of up to 90 MEPs - including Luke 'Ming' Flanagan, Sinn Fein’s Matt Carthy, and fellow Fine Gael member Mairead McGuinness.

He was asked questions about his record as an officeholder, his suitability to the agriculture portfolio and his commitment to the European Union.