Taoiseach endorses McGuinness for EU parliament presidency

She once had her eye on the presidency of Ireland, but Drumconrath-based MEP, Mairead McGuinness has her eye on a bigger prize now, the presidency of all Europe.
The former agricultural journalist and broadcaster, and current MEP for Ireland Midlands North West, this week confirmed her candidacy for the presidency of the European Parliament. Due to domestic interests in Germany, where an election is imminent, current president Martin Schulz has announced he won't be seeking a third term in the position, and at the weekend, Taoiseach Enda Kenny weighed in behind McGuinness, currently a vice-president of the party, to become the EPP Group’s nominee for European Parliament President.
McGuinness said she had been considering running for the position for some months and had decided that now was the best opportunity to announce her candidature.
She said she had both the experience and skills to run for the position. 'My experience of being a vice-president at the parliament,the work I have done over almost 10 years as an MEP has stood to me, and a number of approaches have been made to me over the last few months, asking me to run'.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny officially endorsed the Fine Gael MEP at the Young Fine Gael National Conference in Ballinasloe, Co Galway at the weekend, stating: 'I want you to know I have absolute faith in Mairead McGuinness. She will make an outstanding President of the European Parliament'.
McGuinness said it is “an honour and a privilege” to put her name forward as a credible candidate and from an EU and an Irish perspective, representing a small member state, such an achievement is very positive.
In her speech to the YFG conference, the Midlands North West MEP noted the challenges ahead for the EU, including Brexit: “Brexit can kill or cure the EU – it is our choice. I believe that, notwithstanding the upset and regret at the outcome of the UK vote, the EU is standing firm and united, respecting the outcome of the referendum and waiting to open the exit negotiations. The ball in is the court of the UK to kick-start those negotiations.
“But the EU stands firm on the four principles – the four freedoms. We are in for some tough talking. Last week, I pointed out to the UK Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis, that Ireland’s position in these talks is firmly within the EU27 and the many issues of concern to Ireland will be negotiated in that context.”
McGuinness stressed that the EU must stand up for its core values and had a particular message for young people: “Young people must be part of this conversation because your futures are being shaped by the political climate we live in today and your children will live through the future which will unfold from this uncertainty.”
McGuinness is responsible for the Parliament’s Information Policy, Press and Relations with Citizens as vice-president, including overseeing the role of the Parliament’s Information Offices across the 28 Member States, among other responsibilities. McGuinness is a member of both the parliament’s Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee.
The successful candidate for the position would take up office in mid-January and will serve a two and a half year term.
Mairead McGuinness, who is 57 and an Ardee native, is a member of Fine Gael and is part of the European People's Party in the parliament. She was the first female graduate of University College Dublin's Bachelor of Science degree in agrocultural economics in 1980. Four years alter she completed a diploma in accounting and finance and went on to a  career in the media until she entered the political arena in 2004.
She worked as a researcher on the late Late Show, also as a presenter on RTE's 'Ear to the Ground' and 'Celebrity Farm' programmes, a journalist with the Irish Farmer's Journal and editor of the Irish Independent farming supplement.
In February 2004, she was selected to run for the European Parliament for Fine Gael in the East constituency alongside Avril Doyle, a controversial move as there was speculation that FG could win only one of the three seats. However, both she and Doyle were elected.
Mairead McGuinness has served on several European Parliament committees and is a substitute member of the committee on the environment, public health and food safety, the committee on petitions, and the delegation for relations with the People's Republic of China.
She was a Fine Gael candidate for the Louth constituency at the 2007 General Election but failed to be elected. She was re-elected on the first count at the 2009 European election, topping the poll with 25.7 per cent of the first preference votes.
The EPP Group in the European Parliament, to which Fine Gael is aligned, will select its candidate for European Parliament President on December 13th, ahead of a vote by Parliament to elect its new President in January.