 John Bell
Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
Originally from South Circular Road, Dublin .
About your job: I help the Commissioner to do her job by advising the Commissioner on European policy and consumer policy strategy, manage her cabinet (private office), prepare significant meetings such as with the the College of Commissioners and provide policy coordination with the DG. The best thing about the job is tackling new ideas about the future of Europe and the lives of Europeans every day. The greatest challenge is determining a clear policy line quickly from the huge amount of information about the very different needs of citizens on our policy from across Europe often with media attention.
Why the EU? Following my studies on cultural nationalism, I wanted to work in the EU to be part of making our part of the world a place where people would have better choices, could be themselves, would tolerate diference and work together for a decent future. I wanted a job that made a difference.
How do you think Ireland has benefited most from the EU? Finally arriving as an equal member at the high-table of modern European history, Ireland was free to reimagine itself, free to reinvent its relation with the world, free to review its own history, free to build a fairer society and to free to remake its economic destiny. Ireland's return to the heart of Europe allowed it to free itself to achieve its own self possession for the first time in centuries. Based: Berlaymont Building, Brussels
Languages: In descending order English, Irish, French, Dutch, German, and starting Bulgarian
Books/Music: Ulysses is my favourite book - it makes my local town a universe open to the world and through the ordinary beauty of a Dublin day reminds us that language and imagination can transform anything.
Favourite album either Out of the Blue by ELO or Caf.
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Irish People in the EU.jpg "Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn's website")
