Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Before I ask my colleagues to contribute, I want to make a few points on the European elections. The potential to give the right of nomination of candidates to Europe parties would be resisted at a national level. It is important that we retain the link that exists when individual party members choose their candidate, because it ensures a certain element of democratic legitimacy for that candidate. We would be loth to see the end of that. I want to ask Mr. Freudenstein about the elections next year. I met some PES colleagues from another member state yesterday and their view about next year's elections is very much like ours, namely, that they will represent a referendum on the government in power as opposed to a vote on a vision - from among differing visions - for Europe. We around this table represent the Government parties in Ireland but we are members of two European parties, the SDP and the EPP, which are represented here. The elections next year should be between EPP and SDP policies and proposals but in reality the fight is more likely to be about us as a Government versus the Opposition. I know there is at least one potential candidate for next year's European elections here, and I would like to hear from Ms Prendergast, MEP, who will speak shortly. How does Mr. Freudenstein think the election will pan out in terms of campaigning next year? Is it likely that individual candidates will be pushing a European message or are they still likely to go down the road of arguing for or against the government of the day? What change does he expect compared to the 2009 elections? I would be interested to hear his view on that.

Does Deputy Durkan want to speak?