Michael McGrath assumed the role of European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection on 1 December 2024. Commissioner McGrath has specific responsibility for upholding the rule of law, protecting democracy and fundamental rights, tackling disinformation, improving criminal justice cooperation and strengthening the rights of victims of crime, and improving EU competitiveness through the reform of company law and civil law.
Prior to this, Commissioner McGrath served as Ireland’s Minister for Finance from 2022 to 2024, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform from 2020 to 2022, and was an elected member of the Irish Parliament between 2007 to 2024. As Minister for Finance, he was Ireland’s representative at the Eurogroup and Ecofin meetings of European Finance Ministers, and was Governor of a number of international bodies that Ireland is a member of, including the European Investment Bank, the IMF, the World Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Commissioner McGrath holds a Bachelor of Commerce from University College Cork, is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has undertaken studies with the London School of Economics and Political Science. He held senior roles in both the private and public sectors before entering politics full-time.