When Maire Geoghegan-Quinn takes up her £140,000-a-year appointment on the European Court of Auditors on March 1st, as Barry Desmond retires, the two top Irish jobs in Luxembourg will be filled by women. Justice Fidelma Macken joined the European Court of Justice this week. Both women will move their homes to Luxembourg.
Geoghegan-Quinn first has to face ratification hearings before the budget control committee of the European Parliament in six weeks' time. She told Quidnunc this week that it will be a question-and-answer session where they will explore her ideas and her experience. In the meantime she is continuing with her journalism, her business consultancy and her work on the boards of Aer Lingus and Ryan Hotels. "But my whole focus since being nominated has been preparing for the ratification hearing which was originally to be held at the beginning of October. I would not like to assume it will all be easy, but I had a lot of meetings in Luxembourg with the budget ministers when I was Minister for European Affairs and know the budget. I think Luxembourg is lovely. It is very quiet compared to Brussels and a nice place to live."
Geoghegan-Quinn's well-flagged memoirs which she has been working on will now be put on hold, as at least another chapter will be added about her six years in Luxembourg.