10 Facts About Mairead McGuinness

1.

Mairead McGuinness was born on 13 June 1959 and is an Irish politician serving as the European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union since October 2020.

2.

Mairead McGuinness worked as a researcher on The Late Late Show, as a presenter on RTE's Ear to the Ground and Celebrity Farm, a journalist with the Irish Farmers Journal and editor of the Irish Independents farming supplement.

3.

In 2014, Mairead McGuinness was awarded UCD Alumnus of the Year for Agriculture and Food Science.

4.

In early 2004, Mairead McGuinness declared her intention to seek a nomination for the European Parliament election for Fine Gael.

5.

Mairead McGuinness was a Fine Gael candidate for the Louth constituency at the 2007 general election, but was not elected.

6.

In July 2014, Mairead McGuinness was elected Vice-President of the European Parliament; she secured an absolute majority to go through in the first round of voting by secret ballot.

7.

Also in November 2016, Mairead McGuinness officially announced her candidacy for the office of President of the European Parliament.

8.

Mairead McGuinness was one of two people, along with Andrew McDowell, who the Irish government nominated on 4 September 2020 for one position on the European Commission to replace Phil Hogan.

9.

On 8 September 2020, Mairead McGuinness was proposed by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen as the new Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union.

10.

In 2019, Mairead McGuinness proposed a plan that would privilege religious groups in consultations with the European Parliament.