Ireland’s EU commissioner Máire Geoghegan Quinn has said she will not be putting herself forward to stay on after her term runs out in 2014.
Ms Geoghegan Quinn, a former Fianna Fáil minister who was nominated by the last government, is in charge of the research, innovation and science portfolio, which carries a budget of €50 billion.
She told The Irish Times she was enjoying the job but had no desire to stay on.
There has been speculation that Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan might be chosen as Ireland’s next nominee for the commission. He said in September that he wanted to finish his term in office as Minister. There has also been speculation about Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn but he has said he has no interest in the job.