Irish MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has reportedly filed a complaint against two Polish MEPs, alleging that one snorted at her “with the sound of a pig” while she was speaking during a European Parliament Committee meeting.
The pig-like grunting sounds were allegedly made by Jacek Ozdoba, a Polish MEP, whilst fellow MEP and committee chair Bogdan Rzońca, allegedly ignored Ms Ní Mhurchú’s request to remove Ozdoba from the room.
Both Polish MEPs are members of the right-wing Law and Justice party, and both are in the European Conservatives and Reformists Group. They have hit back at the claims, with Mr Ozdoba claiming in an interview with the Polish Press Agency that he was the first to file a complaint against the Irish politician, and this was the day after the incident, on December 3.
“I’m sorry Chair, that gentleman has just snorted at me like a pig, and I am going to ask you that he be removed from the room,” the Irish Fianna Fáil politician said during the exchange.
“It is the height of an insult to a woman, to an MEP, to a member, to be snorted at with the sound of a pig. I will not continue until he removes himself,” the former RTE journalist added.
The controversy has been widely reported in the Polish press, with RFM24, a Polish radio station, reporting that Ní Mhurchú had filed an official complaint against the two.
The exchange, shared to Polish social media in recent days, took place in December 2025. Polish media reports that Ni Mhurchu has accused both politicians of inappropriate behaviour, after “a sharp exchange of opinions” took place during the meeting.
TVP, a Polish news outlet, reports: “On Thursday, Irish liberal Cynthia Ni Mhurchu filed a written complaint to the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola against PiS MEPs Jacek Ozdoba and Bogdan Rzońca.
“Ozdobie is accused of inappropriate behaviour during the meeting of the EP Petitions Committee in December, and Rzońca – of not reacting to the situation. In turn, Jacek Ozdobie claims that he was the first to complain about the MP.”
The Polish radio station RFM reports: “It was then that the agenda was given to a request for the commission to deal with the issue of Hungary granting asylum to former Deputy Minister of Justice Marcin Romanowski. This proposal was rejected by the Conservative votes.
“Only nine MEPs were present in the room, several of whom, including Jacek Ozdoba and Arkadiusz Mularczyk from PiS, participated in the meeting as deputies. Cynthia Ni Mhurchu also took part in the replacement of Michał Koboska from Poland2050.”
Polish media says that the chairman of the commission, Bogdan Rzoniec, did not respond to her request.
MEP Jacek Ozdoba “firmly refutes the allegations,” according to the radio station,” claiming that he was the first to file a complaint against the Irish MEP, accusing her of aggressive behaviour and providing false information.”
He said that the entire meeting was recorded and that Ms Ni Mhurchu’s complaint was only made more than a month after the meeting took place.
RFM further claimed that Mr Rzonca pointed to the “emotional” nature of debates, participants speaking different languages, and sitting apart from each other.
Earlier in the heated exchange, Ní Mhurchú can be heard saying to Mr Ozdoba: “Don’t interrupt me, I didn’t interrupt you. Please have the manners, or were you reared with no manners?”
Ní Mhurchú demands that an MEP step out of the room, saying she will ask for the “security services.” The exchange goes on for more than five minutes, with the Irish MEP adding: “They are now also groaning and moaning and making sounds to my left.”
She described the alleged behaviour as “absolutely objectionable,” and said: “This is going to be noted and it will go further. This is going to be a problem for your committee and it’s going to be a problem for your committee and it’s going to be a problem for this member. It’s not going to be let go.”
Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP has not made a public statement, but has been contacted for comment.