IRISH COMMISSIONER:CATHERINE DAY, the Irishwoman who heads the EU civil service, has emerged as a contender to succeed Charlie McCreevy as Ireland's next European Commissioner.
Ms Day, secretary general of the European Commission since 2005, is understood to have ranked very highly among official figures whose credentials were examined by the Government. Although she is in the race and may yet pose a threat to frontrunners Máire Geoghegan-Quinn and Pat Cox, she is not at present placed to the fore. The expectation remains that the Government will opt for a political figure.
With the Czech Republic increasingly likely to ratify the Lisbon Treaty, the Government is expected to move swiftly to select its nominee. Although well-placed sources say the Government has assessed whether Ms Day, if appointed, would get a powerful position in the commission, her appointment would deprive Ireland of a prestigious post at the apex of European bureaucracy.
Ms Day has been an EU official for almost 30 years and works closely with commission president José Manuel Barroso, who has ultimate power over the allocation of posts in the EU executive.
The appointment of Mr McCreevy to the powerful internal market post in 2004 may militate against the new Irish nominee taking a big portfolio in the next commission. However, Ms Day’s wide experience in a variety of portfolios would be a clear advantage should she be selected.
Such a selection would break new ground for the Government, especially as Ms Day never held political office in Ireland and never had a seat at Cabinet.
However, Mr Barroso’s stated demand for more women on the commission and the high regard in which she is held in Brussels may strengthen her position.
A particular advantage for Mr Barroso would be that her selection would open up another powerful job for Mr Barroso to fill.
Also in contention in the lower rung of the field is Ruairí Quinn, former Labour leader and former minister for finance.
