O’Reilly announced as European ombudsman candidate

Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly has been announced as an official candidate in the European ombudsman election by European Parliament president Martin Schulz.

Ms O’Reilly, who has been Ombudsman since 2003, received the support of 79 members of the European Parliament, including all 12 Irish MEPs as well as the Sinn Féin MEP for Northern Ireland Martina Anderson. In order to qualify, candidates must secure the written support of 40 MEPs.

She said it was her “intention from the outset to seek as much cross party and independent endorsement as possible in order to reflect the strength of my independence both as National Ombudsman and as a candidate for an Office that is so vital to the interests of European people.”

She will now go forward to the official parliamentary hearing of candidates on June 18th in the European Parliament buildings in Brussels where she will take questions from members on her plans for the office and her track record in Ireland.

Ms O’Reilly, who is one of six candidates for the post, informed the heads of the main Irish political parties earlier this year about her decision to seek the position which carries an annual salary of €248,000 plus benefits.

The current European ombudsman, P Nikiforos Diamandouros, will step down on October 1st after 10 years in the post. MEPs are due to vote to elect Mr Diamandouros’s successor in early July.