An Irishwoman was yesterday appointed to head the European Commission's 500-strong environment directorate-general, one of the most important departments in the Brussels secretariat.

You guys applied the latter, and now you're discovering it works both ways, he told Matthew Baldwin of the directorate-general for mobility and transport.

The Committee also heard from Filip Cornelis, from the European Commission's Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport.

The European Commission has also sent four gas network experts from the EC's Directorate-General Energy and Transport to monitor flows.

Ms Day is expected to be replaced by Alexander Italianer, who is currently head of the European Commission's Competition Directorate-general.