Former minister for finance Michael McGrath has been announced as the European Union’s (EU) next commissioner for justice and the rule of law.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen revealed the portfolios she handed out to her team of commissioners, who are put forward by each EU country, on Tuesday. The Government had been briefed beforehand that Mr McGrath was to be handed the commissioner role covering justice.
The commissioner for justice is responsible for leading the EU’s efforts to tackle breaches of the rule of law by member states, such as Hungary and previously Poland under its populist former government. The commissioner is also responsible for enforcing legislation such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as well as anti-corruption efforts. The role is currently held by Didier Reynders, a Belgian politician.
Mr McGrath had been linked with the justice role in the last week, as Dr von der Leyen was finalising the various portfolios she planned to hand to each commissioner.
The Government had always stated it would push for Mr McGrath to be given a finance-related commission portfolio. Ireland’s current EU commissioner, Mairead McGuinness, holds the role responsible for financial services, so the justice job would represent a sideways move.
Speaking at a press conference, Dr von der Leyen said there was serious competition among EU countries for finance roles in the next commission. “Around 20 member states wanted a strong economic portfolio, we do not have 20 strong economic portfolios,” she said.
Mr McGrath had an “excellent track record” and was an experienced national minister, Dr von der Leyen said. “The commissioners are not the technical experts, they are the political leaders,” she said. The justice brief was a “highly important portfolio”, that would include consumer rights and upholding the rule of law, she said.
Dr von der Leyen spoke with Taoiseach Simon Harris on the phone on Monday evening, as part of a series of calls placed to national capitals.
A number of factors had been working against Ireland securing a prominent finance-related portfolio. The Government ignored a request from Dr von der Leyen for countries to propose two names, with at least one being a woman, so she could build a gender-balanced team of commissioners. Fianna Fáil’s four MEPs also voted against Dr von der Leyen in a European Parliament vote that confirmed her reappointment as president of the EU’s executive arm for another five years.
Mr McGrath stepped down as minister for finance in late June after the Cabinet agreed to nominate him as Ireland’s pick for its next EU commissioner.
[ Explainer: What does the EU commissioner for justice do?Opens in new window ]
Reacting to the announcement, Mr Harris said the justice job was a “strong and influential appointment”. Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he had “no doubt” Mr McGrath would serve with “great energy and diligence in this significant role”.
Dr von der Leyen detailed the portfolios she allocated to each commissioner on Tuesday morning, after she briefed the leaders of the eight political groupings in the European Parliament, during a meeting in Strasbourg.
Eleven of the 27 team of commissioners, including Dr von der Leyen, are women, making up 40 per cent of the team.
The German politician said initially it seemed as though only a fifth of potential nominees would be women, which she said was “completely unacceptable”. The commission president said she was involved in “intensive weeks of negotiations” with national capitals, to try to improve the number of women put forward as commissioners.
Stéphane Séjourné, who dramatically replaced Thierry Breton as France’s nominee on Monday, was allocated a senior position overseeing industrial strategy. Teresa Ribera, the Spanish nominee, was given a senior role overseeing the climate transition, along with the powerful competition enforcement job.
Raffaele Fitto, who comes from Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s hard right government, was handed a senior position covering regional development policy. Maroš Šefčovič, the long-time Slovakian commissioner, was given the trade portfolio, as well as a second role covering economic security.
As commission president Dr von der Leyen counts as Germany’s commissioner, while Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas was already appointed as the EU’s next foreign affairs chief, as that role is decided by the 27 national leaders.
Poland’s nominee Piotr Serafin secured the role overseeing the EU budget, while Dan Jørgensen, from Denmark, is to be the commissioner for energy and housing. The commissioner for financial services job currently held by Ms McGuinness is to pass to Maria Luís Albuquerque from Portugal.
All the commissioners must now be approved by MEPs in European Parliament hearings in the coming weeks, before they take up their positions.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
