EU: The Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, has chosen Mr Martin Power, as his chef de cabinet when he becomes the EU's Internal Market Commissioner in November.
Mr Power (53), who is chef de cabinet - the most senior civil servant - to Ireland's present commissioner, Mr David Byrne, served as a senior official in the Commission's Internal Market directorate general during the 1990's.
Mr McCreevy said in a statement: "Mr Power brings a wealth of experience to the job, having served in various capacities in the EU Commission, including the internal market DG, over the past 20 years and, of course, as chef de cabinet to David Byrne."
A native of Bray, Co Wicklow, Mr Power is an economist by training who worked in the Department of Finance before joining the Commission.
He served in the directorate general for competition before becoming Mr Byrne's chef de cabinet five years ago.
When he worked in the internal market directorate general, Mr Power was assistant to the director general as well as head of a departmental unit.
He expressed delight at his appointment yesterday, describing it as "an exciting challenge and a great portfolio".
Mr McCreevy said yesterday that he would make further appointments to his Cabinet during the coming weeks.
Each Commissioner's cabinet is made up of six or seven people, four or five of whom may come from his own member-state.
Irish now hold four top posts
Mr John Bruton's appointment as EU ambassador to the US brings to four the number of Irish officials in top Commission posts. Mr David Sullivan is secretary general, the most senior official post; Ms Catherine Day is director general at environment; and Mr Thomas Cornfield is director general of the Publications Office, in Luxembourg.
