EU COMMISSIONER MAIREAD McGuinness has announced that she will not be a candidate for election to the European Parliament in the next elections in June 2024.

In October 2020, McGuinness was made the EU Commissioner for Financial services, financial stability and Capital Markets Union.

McGuinness replaced Phil Hogan as Ireland’s EU Commissioner, after he resigned from his role as Trade Commissioner in the wake of the Golfgate scandal.

She was first elected as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in 2004 and has also served as vice president of the European Parliament.

McGuinness exceeded the quota on the first count in the 2019 EU Parliament elections when she ran as a Fine Gael candidate in the Midlands–North West constituency.

The Electoral Commission this morning announced that the Midlands-North West constituency should gain an additional seat for European parliament elections.

In a statement today, McGuinness said she is “aware of the intense speculation about my intentions”.

“I have over recent months said publicly that I will not contest the European Parliament elections,” said McGuinness. “My position has not changed and will not change.”

She noted in her statement that she has “one more year to serve in my role as EU Commissioner” and added that this will be her “absolute focus for the next twelve months”.

And while she has “expressed a willingness to serve as Commissioner in the next mandate”, McGuinness added that she “fully respects that this is a decision to be made by Government”.

The role is expected to be filled by Fianna Fáil when it comes up again for appointment.

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