Emily O'Reilly 2003-2013

Emily O'Reilly served as Ireland's Ombudsman and Information Commissioner from 2003 until 2013, when she was elected European Ombudsman by the European Parliament.

Ms O'Reilly was also an ex-officio member of the Standards in Public Office Commission, the Referendum Commission, the Constituency Commission and the Commission for Public Service Appointments. In May 2007, following the introduction of the Access to Information on the Environment Regulations which transposed Directive 2003/4/EC into Irish law, Ms O'Reilly was assigned the additional role of Commissioner for Environmental Information.

Prior to her initial appointment as Ombudsman and Information Commissioner in June 2003, Ms O'Reilly was an accomplished journalist and author whose roles included many years as a political correspondent with prominent print and broadcasting media. She is a native of Tullamore, Co Offaly and is married with five children. Ms O'Reilly is a graduate of University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin. She was also the recipient of a Niemann Fellowship in Journalism at Harvard University, Cambridge, U.S.A. In December 2008 Ms O'Reilly was awarded a Doctor of Laws by the National University of Ireland in recognition of her contribution to public service and to human rights.