Emily is new European Ombudsman

Tullamore native Emily O’Reilly has been elected European Ombudsman. Ms O’Reilly was elected today following a second round of voting in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

She reportedly secured 359 votes from MEPs while the other frontrunner for the job - Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten - secured 276. Ms O’Reilly will take up the Strasbourg-based post on October 1.

Speaking this morning Taoiseach Enda Kenny congratulated Ms O’Reilly on her appointment.

“I send my congratulations to Emily O’Reilly on this great achievement,” he said. “It is an indication of her high calibre as a candidate and of the quality of the presentations she made.

'The fact that she had the full support of Irish MEPs is testament to her many years of work as Irish Ombudsman. I am delighted to wish her well in her appointment to her new role protecting the rights of EU citizens.”

A former journalist, Ms O’Reilly has served as Irish Ombudsman since 2003. Her new role will see her responsible for investigating public complaints about European Institutions and various EU agencies.

Though she moved away from Tullamore early in life, the former Scoil Mhuire student still has a lot of family connections with the town. Last year she was the guest speaker at the Sacred Heart School-organised Ladies Lunch.