Ursula von der Leyen 'seething' as Coveney's interest in EU gig waned

Mairead McGuinness is favourite to take the EU Commissioner role. Mairead McGuinness, MEP with Michel Barnier pictured at the EPP conference on Brexit in Druids Glen Hotel, Wicklow in 2017. Picture: Don MacMonagle

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney will not be Ireland’s new EU Commissioner as the government has put forward the names of Mairead McGuinness and former Fine Gael advisor Andrew McDowell instead.

According to government sources, the Cabinet held an incorporeal meeting before lunch on Friday where the names of the two nominees were discussed and approved by ministers.

In a tweet, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said she was informed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin of the nominees, one of whom will replace Phil Hogan as EU Commissioner.

"I will interview them early next week on their qualifications for the job," she said.

Ms McGuinness is seen as the favourite to take the post as Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told his parliamentary party that it would be a political appointee as opposed to an official, which Mr McDowell is.

He has just finished his four-year fixed stint as vice president of the European Investment Bank.

Andrew McDowell has been nominated for the role of EU Commissioner. Picture: Collins

According to sources, Mr Coveney’s interest in the post waned significantly in the past 48 hours when it was clear he would not retain the trade portfolio and the government would be submitting two names – one female and one male.

Mr Coveney’s silence and refusal to rule himself out formally has caused a degree of anger and Brussels-based sources have hit out at the “back-channel” discussions to see what portfolios were on offer.

“The Commission and President Ursula von der Leyen were seething at the approach being taken,” said one source.

Speaking about the selection process, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said: “I’m really glad he hasn’t allowed his name to go forward."

“One thing I can say about that is that Simon Coveney is somebody with enormous ability and a certainly would have been a top-class Commissioner, had he decided to go forward."