Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Last Thursday, the Government circulated proposals to all the EU countries suggesting that the EU member states would continue to nominate one Commissioner until 2014, at which point the number of Commissioners would be reduced to 18, and posts would then rotate so that, in one of every three terms, member states would not have a Commissioner. Will the Taoiseach indicate whether that proposal was discussed with the Heads of Government whom he visited or was it discussed during the round of consultations he undertook following his accession as President?

The Convention on the Future of Europe had already suggested a different Commission model in which the number of Commissioners remain the same but only half of them would have voting rights. Can I take it that particular proposal has been abandoned entirely? In respect of the proposal circulated last Thursday, will the Taoiseach comment on where it stands currently?

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