Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Kitching to the committee and thank him for his presentation. On the issue of indirect versus direct elections to the role of Commission President, it has heretofore been a prerogative of smaller countries to assume that role. Does Mr. Kitching envisage a situation where a difficulty might arise as a consequence of one of the large blocs seeking to impose a candidate from one of the economic powerhouses? Has he identified regional as between, for example, northern versus southern blocs or eastern versus western blocs in terms of the choices to be made?

I concur with previous speakers regarding the reduction in the number of MEPs. I appreciate the need for a cap, but does Mr. Kitching believe there is a danger that a reduction in a member state's contingent of representatives in the European Parliament, particularly in the case of small countries like Ireland, might lead to a corresponding reduction in the relevance of Europe for citizens, or at least a perception thereof? On the question of democratic accountability, would Mr. Kitching say that national politicians have a tendency to blame too many of our ills on Europe in the context of various directives, regulations, policies and so on?

The Chairman indicated that Mr. Kitching is from the socialist or left side of the political spectrum, which is fine. Given that so many countries have experienced major economic problems in recent sides, regardless of their governments' political stripes, would Mr. Kitching agree that the problems we are facing, across Europe and indeed across the world, transcend the broad left-right divide?