Irish woman gets top EU civil service job

An Irish woman was appointed to the top job in the European Union civil service today.

Catherine Day was named as the European Commission’s secretary-general - taking over from fellow Irish national David O’Sullivan, who moves to take charge of Commissioner Peter Mandelson’s trade department.

It is the first time the most senior Commission civil service post has gone to a woman – and the first time the post has stayed in the hands of the same member state.

Eurocrats are not representatives of their own country, but there is always fierce lobbying by all EU governments to put their best nationals in the pick of EU posts.

By that standard, Ireland scooped the big EU prizes today, with a woman at the top and her predecessor now running the increasingly powerful and politically sensitive international trade portfolio.

The losers in today’s Euro-reshuffle were the French, furious at what is seen as another shift in favour of English-language dominance of the most senior permanent civil servants.

Francois Lamoureux, French Commission director-general in charge of transport and one-time standard-bearer for legendary Commission President Jacques Delors, has been sidelined to become an “adviser” to Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

And although a Frenchman has taken over – from a Spaniard – as director-general of agriculture , French officials complained today that the Common Agricultural Policy is not the powerful EU fiefdom it once was.

Asked why the Irish had successful held on to the most senior post, despite an official culture that there can be no “national flags” earmarking senior positions, Commission vice-president Siim Kallas, in charge of staffing, replied: “Merit must come first and we can only envy Ireland. This is due to the good capabilities of the people who are appointed. No post is earmarked (for any particular member state).”