Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Freudenstein and thank him for the brevity of his contribution, which means that we have more time for questions and discussion. I have three questions for him, two of which are based on his contribution.

Mr. Freudenstein acknowledges the need for a greater role for national parliaments with respect to future developments in budgetary policy. I ask him to outline how he thinks the role of national parliaments could change. The most likely mechanism for the European Union in developing political legitimacy would be to give national parliaments, instead of the European Parliament, a role in dealing with budgetary as opposed to non-budgetary issues. What could be the future role of national parliaments in dealing with the concerns expressed about political legitimacy?

My second question follows from a point made by Mr. Freudenstein about how the Commission might become politicised. Ireland would see the role of the Commission as being the neutral mechanism in the middle and not open to control by large countries, for example. That is why Ireland has always been very supportive of the communautaire system of policy-making. How does Mr. Freudenstein see that role of the Commission being maintained in the context of the politicisation of the Commission or can it be maintained in the context of what he is proposing?

My third question is a general one about the development of the eurozone. Mr. Freudenstein's submission touches on some of the ways by which that could happen such as a banking union, mutualisation of debt, and so on. Will there be different speeds of integration within the eurozone? I find it difficult to imagine every country agreeing to the kind of integration that the eurozone will need in the future not only for it to survive but also to prosper.