Government will send a Fine Gael nominee for EU commissioner role; Simon Coveney the favourite

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney, is seen as the frontrunner for the job.Photo: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

The Government will send a Fine Gael nominee to become Ireland’s new EU Commissioner, it has been agreed.

The Irish Examiner has confirmed that the seat on the EU Commission remains in the control of the European People’s Party, the European grouping to which Fine Gael belongs, and therefore they retain the right to nominate.