Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Perhaps I can correct Deputy Costello. We never put forward the name of Pat Cox as chair of the group. We put forward the name of Pat Cox as a member of the committee. We were asked in September for somebody with competent and qualified European experience. We did not think there was anybody who was better qualified in that regard, having just been the past president of European Parliament. Pat Cox never lobbied or looked for the position of chair. As a matter of fact, he did not seek membership either but we approached him. In the last week when there were differences between various groups about Felipe González and Vaire Vike-Freiberga, the former president of Latvia, they started to look at other names. One of the names that was mentioned was Pat Cox. That is where it came from. Pat Cox was in the United States and was not in any way involved in that issue. We have continued with what we set out to do which was to put forward the name of Pat Cox as a member of the committee. We will continue to lobby for that.

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