Former government press secretary Nick Miller has been hired as a speechwriter for European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
A long-time spin doctor for former taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Mr Miller has in recent days started a new role writing speeches for Dr von der Leyen, in the European Union’s executive arm that proposes laws and leads trade policy.
He will be working as part of a team drafting and editing speeches for the commission president, in the EU institution’s Berlaymont headquarters in Brussels.
Mr Miller previously worked as a press adviser to Mr Varadkar from 2011 to 2017, as the former Fine Gael politician climbed the ministerial ladder, moving from minister for transport, to minister for health, to minister for social protection.
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When Mr Varadkar became taoiseach in mid-2017, he appointed Mr Miller as government press secretary, seen as the top communications role in Government Buildings.
Mr Miller was replaced when Simon Harris took over as taoiseach and brought in his own team of advisers after Mr Varadkar resigned early last year.
A European Commission spokeswoman confirmed Mr Miller had joined the team which “drafts speeches and messages” for Dr von der Leyen.
The commission had in recent months been looking to add to the speechwriting team. It is understood officials had been keen on hiring a native English speaker for the role.
[ Leo Varadkar takes job with US-based public relations firmOpens in new window ]
After leaving his government position, Mr Miller worked as a communications consultant.
He briefly joined Rockwood Public Affairs, a firm run by former Labour Party senator Lorraine Higgins, as a consultant in December 2024. Rockwood, which has offices in Dublin and Brussels, at the time said Mr Miller would help the company provide advice on public affairs and strategic communications to its clients.
Mr Miller started the new role in the European Commission last week. The speechwriting team sits separately to Dr von der Leyen’s “cabinet” of policy advisers, who wield significant influence in the EU body.
Dr von der Leyen is known to trust a small circle of people, which includes Björn Seibert, who heads her cabinet.
Recent months have seen a shake-up of the commission president’s team, with one senior Irish official due to depart and another joining.
Anthony Whelan, who served as Dr von der Leyen’s adviser on tech policy during her first five-year term, is to take over as deputy director general of the commission department overseeing state aid and competition policy. The Co Clare man has temporarily been filling in as the president’s senior economic adviser in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Patricia Reilly, who headed up Mairéad McGuinness’s team when the Fine Gael politician was European commissioner for financial services, has joined Dr von der Leyen’s team as an adviser on agriculture and health policy.
