Ireland gets EC innovation portfolio

KILIAN DOYLE

Ireland's incoming EU commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn has been given the research and innovation portfolio.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen, who had been campaigning for the powerful portfolio, made the announcement at the Intel facility in Leixlip, where he was attending an event to celebrate 20 years of Intel in Ireland.

“I am delighted to announce today that we have secured the hugely important research and innovation portfolio, which resonates very strongly with our own Smart Economy agenda,” Mr Cowen said. “It is testament to the calibre of Máire Geoghegan Quinn that she has been allocated this portfolio.”

He said the Research and Innovation Commissioner will play a key role in the drive to maintain and create jobs, and stimulate economic growth, in Europe. The portfolio includes the EU’s Research Framework Programme, which has a budget of over €50 billion.

Mr Cowen formalised Ms Geoghegan-Quinn’s nomination to commission on November 17th.

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso today named Finland's Olli Rehn as the economic and monetary affairs commissioner, a role in which he will oversee efforts to revive Europe's economy. He takes over from Spaniard Joaquin Almunia, who will become competition commissioner. France's Michel Barnier was named internal market commissioner with responsibility for financial services.

The new commission has 27 members, including Mr Barroso. There is one commissioner from each member state, nine of them women.

Mr Barroso has introduced number of new portfolios: climate action; home affairs; justice, fundamental rights and citizenship. He has also reconfigured a number of other portfolios, including education, culture, multilingualism and youth; health and consumer policy; industry and entrepreneurship; research and innovation; international cooperation, humanitarian aid and crisis response.

He said there will be a “new emphasis on inclusion” in the employment, social affairs and inclusion portfolio, and a renewed focus with the digital agenda portfolio.

Mr Barroso said his new team's main task would be to seek economic growth following the global credit crisis. The commission is expected to take office early next year but first needs the approval of the European Parliament.

Ms Geoghegan-Quinn (59) served as a TD for Galway West for 1975 to 1997. She was minister for justice from January 1993 to December 1994. Prior to that, she served as minister for European affairs from 1987 to 1991. She retired from politics at the 1997 general election and was appointed to Ireland’s representative on the EU Court of Auditors in 1999. She was reappointed for a second term in 2006.