The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has announced that Charlie McCreevy will be the Government's nominee for appointment to the next European Commission.
He said he was delighted that Mr McCreevy had accepted the nomination.
Mr Ahern said Mr McCreevy enjoyed wide respect in the European institutions, especially as a result of his very successful chairmanship during the Presidency.
The Taoiseach thanked the outgoing Commissioner, David Byrne, for what he called 'distinguished achievement' during his period in office.
Speaking tonight, the Finance Minister said the Taoiseach had offered him the position last Tuesday and even though he did not normally take so long to make up his mind, he had accepted the offer today.
Mr McCreevy said he had consulted with his wife and a number of close friends over the weekend, but had not been in touch with any Government backbenchers, nor had he been put under any pressure to accept the job.
Long-serving TD
Kildare-born Charlie McCreevy is 54, and has been a TD for his native constituency for 27 years.
He sat on Kildare County Council between 1979 and 1985.
A commerce graduate of UCD and a chartered accountant by profession, he played a prominent part during the 1980s in moves against then Taoiseach and party leader Charlie Haughey.
He was named Minister for Social Welfare by then Taoiseach Albert Reynolds in February 1992, but stayed there for just under a year before serving as Minister for Tourism and Trade for the following two years.
Appointed Fianna Fáil frontbench spokesperson on Finance in January 1995, he was an obvious choice for the top economic department when the party returned to government in June 1997.
Mr McCreevy will continue as Minister for Finance until the Cabinet reshuffle in the Autumn.
