McGuinness takes vice-president role with high EP vote

Mairead McGuinness became the second Irish person to be elected vice-president of the European Parliament when she got the second highest number of votes from her fellow MEPs.

Her success came amid rumours that Taoiseach Enda Kenny may put her name forward as one of two nominees for the European Commission.

He is expected to nominate Environment Minister and his right hand man in Fine Gael, Phil Hogan, but all countries have been asked to send two names, one of them a woman.