THE first ever female cabinet minister in the history of the state has now been nominated as the Government’s candidate for the post of Ireland’s next EU Commissioner – to replace Charlie McCreevy.

The high profile post goes to former Galway West TD Maire Geoghegan Quinn who was elected on six occasions to the Dail before pulling out of politics.

On Tuesday, the Cabinet approved her nomination and she will have to be formally ratified by the Commission President before taking up her position. The position could be worth an estimated €400,000 between her salary and allowances.

Ms. Geoghegan Quinn (59) was first elected to the Dail in 1981 – replacing her late father John Geoghegan as the Galway West Fianna Fail candidate.

In her last General Election in 1992 she retained her seat but only after the 10th count and ousted Frank Fahey in the process – a defeat which still rankles with the former Minister.

Geoghegan Quinn did not contest the 1997 General Election shortly after newspapers reported that one of her two sons had been expelled from school.

“When politics demands – and wrongly demands – that a TD’s family members serve as expendable extensions of the elected members, I will not serve,” she said in her resignation statement.

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