Ms Geoghegan-Quinn has since her appointment in February 2010, spearheaded the development of the Innovation Union and the proposals for the future EU research and innovation programme, Horizon 2020. Previously, she was a Member of the European Court of Auditors from 2000 to 2010 and between 1975 –1997, a member of the Irish Parliament. In 1979, she became the first woman to be appointed as a cabinet Minister since the foundation of the Irish state and was a member of the Irish government team which negotiated the Joint Declaration of December 1993 on Peace and Reconciliation in Ireland. She has held numerous minister posts in the Irish government such as Minister for Justice.