View source for Mairead McGuinness

{{short description|Irish politician and European Commissioner (born 1959)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image               = Mairead McGuinness 2023.jpg
| caption             = McGuinness in 2023
| office              = [[European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union|European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and <br> the Capital Markets Union]]
| president           = [[Ursula von der Leyen]]
| term_start          = 12 October 2020
| term_end            = 30 November 2024
| predecessor         = [[Valdis Dombrovskis]]
| successor           = [[Maria Luís Albuquerque]]
| office1             = [[Vice-President of the European Parliament|First Vice-President of the European Parliament]]
| president1          = [[Antonio Tajani]]<br />[[David Sassoli]]
| term_start1         = 18 January 2017
| term_end1           = 12 October 2020
| predecessor1        = Antonio Tajani
| successor1          = [[Roberta Metsola]]
| office2             = [[Member of the European Parliament]]
| term_start2         = 1 July 2014
| term_end2           = 12 October 2020
| constituency2       = [[Midlands–North-West (European Parliament constituency)|Midlands–North-West]]
| term_start3         = 1 July 2004
| term_end3           = 1 July 2014
| constituency3       = [[East (European Parliament constituency)|East]]
| birth_name          = Mairead McGuinness
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1959|6|13|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Drogheda]], [[County Louth]], Ireland
| death_date          =
| death_place         =
| party               = [[Fine Gael]]
| otherparty          = [[European People's Party]]
| spouse              = {{marriage|Tom Duff|1994}}
| children            = 4
| education           = [[University College Dublin]]
| website             = {{URL|maireadmcguinness.ie|Official website}}|
}}
[[File:McGuinness, Mairead (en).webm|thumb|Video-Introduction]]
'''Mairead McGuinness''' (born 13 June 1959) is an [[Ireland|Irish]] politician who served as the [[European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union]] from October 2020 to November 2024. A member of [[Fine Gael]], she previously served as [[Vice-President of the European Parliament|First Vice-President of the European Parliament]] from 2017 to 2020. She served as a [[Member of the European Parliament]] (MEP) for [[East (European Parliament constituency)|East]] from 2004 to 2014 and for [[Midlands–North-West (European Parliament constituency)|Midlands–North-West]] from 2014 to 2020, making her Ireland's longest serving MEP.<ref>Gabriela Baczynska and Padraic Halpin (September 4, 2020), [https://www.reuters.com/article/eu-trade-ireland-commissioner/update-2-ireland-likely-to-lose-eu-trade-portfolio-as-nominees-submitted-idUSL8N2G13H6 Ireland likely to lose EU trade portfolio as nominees submitted] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200904160707/https://www.reuters.com/article/eu-trade-ireland-commissioner/update-2-ireland-likely-to-lose-eu-trade-portfolio-as-nominees-submitted-idUSL8N2G13H6 |date=4 September 2020 }} ''[[Reuters]]''.</ref> In the [[European Parliament]], she sat with the [[European People's Party]] (EPP).<ref name=EP_profile>{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28115/MAIREAD_MCGUINNESS/home|title=Mairead McGuinness|work=[[European Parliament]]|access-date=22 January 2012|archive-date=11 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111080251/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28115/MAIREAD_MCGUINNESS/home|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=8 September 2020|title=Press statement by the President of the European Commission|url=https://www.pscp.tv/EU_Commission/1RDxlrWjWMoGL|access-date=2020-09-08|website=Periscope|archive-date=21 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321152905/https://www.pscp.tv/EU_Commission/1RDxlrWjWMoGL|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Education and media career==
McGuinness was the first female graduate of  [[University College Dublin]]'s [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in [[Agricultural economics]] in 1980. In 1984, she completed a diploma in accounting and finance and followed a career in the media before entering politics in 2004.<ref name=EP_profile/> She worked as a researcher on ''[[The Late Late Show (Irish talk show)|The Late Late Show]]'', as a presenter on [[RTÉ]]'s ''[[Ear to the Ground]]'' and ''[[Celebrity Farm]]'', a journalist with the ''[[Irish Farmers Journal]]'' and editor of the ''[[Irish Independent]]''{{'}}s farming supplement.
In 2014, McGuinness was awarded UCD Alumnus of the Year for Agriculture and Food Science.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MAIREAD MCGUINNESS |url=https://alumni.ucd.ie/awards/awardee/mairead-mcguinness/ |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=UCD Alumni Awards |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==Political career==
===Member of the European Parliament, 2004–2020===
In early 2004, McGuinness declared her intention to seek a nomination for the [[2004 European Parliament election in Ireland|European Parliament election]] for Fine Gael. This followed speculation linking her to a similar move for the [[Progressive Democrats]]. At the selection convention in February 2004, she was selected to run alongside [[Avril Doyle]]. This proved controversial{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}}, as it was widely expected that Fine Gael could win only one of the three seats in the East constituency. However, a stronger than expected performance from Fine Gael in the election saw both women being elected.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}
During her time in parliament, McGuinness served on several European Parliament committees, including the [[Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development]] and the delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand. She was a substitute member of the [[European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety|Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety]], the [[Committee on Petitions]] and the delegation for relations with [[China]].{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}
McGuiness was a Fine Gael candidate for the [[Louth (Dáil constituency)|Louth]] constituency at the [[2007 Irish general election|2007 general election]], but was not elected.<ref name=elecs_irl>{{cite web |url=http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=2572 |title=Mairead McGuinness |work=ElectionsIreland.org |access-date=11 May 2009 |archive-date=20 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520085137/http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?id=2572 |url-status=live }}</ref> She was re-elected on the first count at the [[2009 European Parliament election in Ireland|2009 European election]], topping the poll with 25.7% of the first preference votes.<ref name=elecs_irl/>
In April 2011, McGuinness announced that she wished to run for [[President of Ireland]] and would seek the Fine Gael party nomination for the [[2011 Irish presidential election|2011 presidential election]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0415/breaking64.html |title=Maireád McGuinness in Áras bid |date=15 April 2011 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |access-date=25 April 2011 |archive-date=4 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804160519/https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0415/breaking64.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In July 2011, she was defeated for the nomination by [[Gay Mitchell]].<ref name="mitchell">{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0709/breaking24.html|title=Mitchell chosen as FG candidate|last=De Bréadún|first=Deaglán|date=9 July 2011|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|access-date=9 July 2011|archive-date=12 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812171257/https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0709/breaking24.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
At the [[2014 European Parliament election in Ireland|2014 European election]], she was re-elected to the European Parliament for the new [[Midlands–North-West (European Parliament constituency)|Midlands–North-West]] constituency.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}
In July 2014, McGuinness was elected [[Vice-President of the European Parliament]];<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28115/MAIREAD_MCGUINNESS_history.html|title=Mairead McGuinness|work=[[European Parliament]]|access-date=25 May 2016|archive-date=17 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617030823/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28115/MAIREAD_MCGUINNESS_history.html|url-status=live}}</ref> she secured an absolute majority to go through in the first round of voting by secret ballot.<ref>Dave Keating (1 July 2014), [http://www.politico.eu/article/european-parliament-elects-vice-presidents/ European Parliament elects vice-presidents] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921105606/http://www.politico.eu/article/european-parliament-elects-vice-presidents/ |date=21 September 2016 }} ''[[European Voice]]''.</ref> Under the leadership of President [[Martin Schulz]], she oversaw the parliament's information policy, press and citizens relations. In addition, she served as chairwoman of the Working Group on Information and Communication Policy and as co-chair of the Inter-Institutional Group on Communication.<ref>[http://www.politico.eu/article/parliament-vice-presidents-assigned-portfolios/ Parliament vice-president portfolios assigned] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919155040/http://www.politico.eu/article/parliament-vice-presidents-assigned-portfolios/ |date=19 September 2016 }} ''[[European Voice]]'', 13 November 2014.</ref>
In addition to her committee assignments and duties as vice-president, McGuinness was a member of the European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals<ref>[http://www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu/about-us/members/ Members] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831215301/http://www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu/about-us/members/ |date=31 August 2019 }} European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals.</ref> and the European Parliament Intergroup on Children's Rights.<ref>[http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdf/intergroupes/VIII_LEG_04_Childrens_rights.pdf Members of the European Parliament Intergroup on Children's Rights] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215023522/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdf/intergroupes/VIII_LEG_04_Childrens_rights.pdf |date=15 February 2018 }} [[European Parliament]].</ref> Alongside [[Karin Kadenbach]], she also co-chaired the MEP Heart Group, a group of parliamentarians who have an interest in promoting measures that will help reduce the burden of [[cardiovascular disease]]s (CVD).<ref>[http://www.mepheartgroup.eu/index.php/supporters Supporters] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107222727/http://www.mepheartgroup.eu/index.php/supporters |date=7 January 2016 }} MEP Heart Group.</ref> In November 2016, One Voice For Languages<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/speaking-with-one-voice-on-languages-1.1573725|title=Speaking with one voice on languages|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|access-date=13 November 2016|archive-date=16 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616203932/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/speaking-with-one-voice-on-languages-1.1573725|url-status=live}}</ref> welcomed McGuinness as their patron.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onevoiceforlanguages.com/live-love-learn-language-events.html|title=Live, Love, Learn Languages|work=One Voice for Languages|access-date=13 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114001809/http://www.onevoiceforlanguages.com/live-love-learn-language-events.html|archive-date=14 November 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Also in November 2016, McGuinness officially announced her candidacy for the office of [[President of the European Parliament]].<ref>Maïa de La Baume and David M. Herszenhorn (29 November 2016), [http://www.politico.eu/article/gianni-pittella-sd-plans-parliament-presidency-bid-alde-guy-verhofstadt-martin-schulz/ Pittella plans Parliament presidency bid] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230005206/http://www.politico.eu/article/gianni-pittella-sd-plans-parliament-presidency-bid-alde-guy-verhofstadt-martin-schulz/ |date=30 December 2016 }} ''[[Politico Europe]]''.</ref> Instead, Italian MEP and former [[European Commissioner]] [[Antonio Tajani]] was elected as the EPP group's nominee to replace incumbent president [[Martin Schulz]]; McGuinness received the second highest number of votes.<ref>Suzanne Lynch (13 December 2016), [http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/mairead-mcguinness-fails-in-bid-for-european-parliament-president-1.2904780 Mairead McGuinness fails in bid for European Parliament president] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230001720/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/mairead-mcguinness-fails-in-bid-for-european-parliament-president-1.2904780 |date=30 December 2016 }} ''[[Irish Times]]''.</ref> Ahead of the [[2019 European Parliament election|2019 European elections]], she announced to run again for the post and was re-elected, exceeding the quota on the first count.<ref>Eline Schaart and Cristina Gonzalez (26 March 2019), [https://www.politico.eu/article/irish-mep-mcguinness-parliament-president/ Ireland's McGuinness ready to run again for Parliament president] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330100045/https://www.politico.eu/article/irish-mep-mcguinness-parliament-president/ |date=30 March 2019 }} ''[[Politico Europe]]''.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/mairead-mcguinness-elected-4655296-May2019/|title=Mairead McGuinness is the first Irish MEP elected in European elections|date=27 May 2019|work=Journal|access-date=28 May 2019|archive-date=27 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527162400/https://www.thejournal.ie/mairead-mcguinness-elected-4655296-May2019/|url-status=live}}</ref>
Following the 2019 elections, McGuiness was part of a cross-party working group in charge of drafting the European Parliament's four-year work program on digitization.<ref>Florian Eder (June 13, 2019), [https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/brussels-playbook/politico-brussels-playbook-presented-by-google-madrids-moment-parliament-working-groups-sneak-peak-happy-birthday-gdpr/ POLITICO Brussels Playbook, presented by Google: Madrid's moment — Parliament working groups sneak peak[sic] — Happy birthday, GDPR] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301113616/https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/brussels-playbook/politico-brussels-playbook-presented-by-google-madrids-moment-parliament-working-groups-sneak-peak-happy-birthday-gdpr/ |date=1 March 2021 }} ''[[Politico Europe]]''.</ref>
===European Commissioner, 2020–2024===
McGuinness was one of two people, along with [[Andrew McDowell]], who the [[32nd Government of Ireland|Irish government]] nominated on 4 September 2020 for one position on the [[European Commission]] to replace [[Phil Hogan]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Andrew McDowell and Mairead McGuinness candidates for commissioner role |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/andrew-mcdowell-and-mairead-mcguinness-candidates-for-commissioner-role-1.4346513 |access-date=4 September 2020 |publisher=[[The Irish Times]] |language=en}}</ref> On 8 September 2020, McGuinness was proposed by [[European Commission]] [[President of the European Commission|president]] [[Ursula von der Leyen]] as the new [[European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union|Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=O'Leary|first=Naomi|title=Mairead McGuinness named as Ireland's European commissioner|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/mairead-mcguinness-named-as-ireland-s-european-commissioner-1.4349511|access-date=8 September 2020|publisher=[[The Irish Times]]|language=en}}</ref> On 7 October 2020, she was confirmed to the post by a vote of 583–75 with 37 abstentions.<ref>{{cite web |title=EU lawmakers confirm McGuinness |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/lawmakers-confirm-mcguinness-and-dombrovskis-as-finance-trade-commissioners/ |publisher=Politico |accessdate=24 March 2023}}</ref>
In November 2023, McGuinness announced she would not contest the [[2024 European Parliament election in Ireland|2024 European Parliament elections]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lehane |first=Mícheál |date=2023-11-20 |title=McGuinness confirms decision not to contest EU election |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2023/1120/1417427-european-parliament/ |journal=RTÉ |language=en}}</ref>
==Other activities==
* Friends of Europe, Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2020)<ref>[https://www.friendsofeurope.org/insights/trustees/ Friends of Europe appoints 29 new members to its Board of Trustees] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927191810/https://www.friendsofeurope.org/insights/trustees/ |date=27 September 2020 }} Friends of Europe, press release of June 25, 2020.</ref>
==Political positions==
In 2019, McGuinness proposed a plan that would privilege religious groups in consultations with the European Parliament. The proposal was shelved after a group of MEPs complained that it would create "a highly undesirable and untransparent privileged lobby channel for religious organisations".<ref>{{cite news |title=Revealed: controversial plan to boost religious lobby in Brussels, as far right pledges to fight for 'Christian Europe' |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/revealed-controversial-plan-to-boost-religious-lobby-in-brussels-as-far-right-pledges-to-fight-for-christian-europe/ |access-date=7 October 2020 |work=openDemocracy |language=en |archive-date=4 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004221214/https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/revealed-controversial-plan-to-boost-religious-lobby-in-brussels-as-far-right-pledges-to-fight-for-christian-europe/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Personal life==
McGuinness is married to Tom Duff, a sheep farmer. The couple have four children.<ref>Maïa de La Baume (September 8, 2020), [https://www.politico.eu/article/mairead-mcguinness-things-to-know-about-commission-nominee/ 5 things to know about Mairead McGuinness, the EU's future finance chief] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200908231428/https://www.politico.eu/article/mairead-mcguinness-things-to-know-about-commission-nominee/ |date=8 September 2020 }} ''[[Politico Europe]]''.</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*{{Official website|maireadmcguinness.ie}}
*[http://www.votewatch.eu/en/term8-mairead-mcguinness-2.html Mairead McGuinness' page on the VoteWatch website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181008012135/http://www.votewatch.eu/en/term8-mairead-mcguinness-2.html |date=8 October 2018 }}
*{{MEP|28115|Mairead McGuinness}}
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{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Phil Hogan]]}}
{{s-ttl|title  = [[List of European Commissioners by nationality#Ireland|Irish European Commissioner]]
|years  = 2020–2024}}
{{s-aft|after  = [[Michael McGrath (Irish politician)|Michael McGrath]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Von der Leyen Commission}}
{{European Commissioners from Ireland}}
{{Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (2004–2009)}}
{{Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (2009–2014)}}
{{Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (2014–2019)}}
{{Members of the European Parliament for Ireland (2019–2024)}}
{{EP Political Group EPP}}
{{The Late Late Show (Irish talk show)}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McGuinness, Mairead}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Alumni of University College Dublin]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:21st-century women MEPs for the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Fine Gael MEPs]]
[[Category:Irish Independent people]]
[[Category:Irish women journalists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 2004–2009]]
[[Category:MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 2009–2014]]
[[Category:MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 2014–2019]]
[[Category:MEPs for the Republic of Ireland 2019–2024]]
[[Category:Politicians from County Louth]]
[[Category:RTÉ television presenters]]
[[Category:The Late Late Show (Irish talk show)]]
[[Category:Irish European commissioners]]
[[Category:European commissioners (2019–2024)]]
[[Category:Broadcasters from County Louth]]
[[Category:Fine Gael candidates in Dáil elections]]