Irishman David O’Sullivan will be the EU’s ambassador to Washington for the next five years, in a post previously held by former taoiseach John Bruton.

The EU is likely to push ahead more urgently on agreeing a comprehensive and sometimes controversial trade agreement with the US after President Barack Obama said it would open the door to imports of cheap American gas.

THE EU Washington post vacated three months ago by former taoiseach John Bruton has been filled by a close friend of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.