Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Rather than force a vote on the Order of Business, can we set aside business today to discuss this issue? Obviously, it is a fundamentally important decision and there should be a full Dáil debate about the Lisbon treaty, its future and where we stand.

In respect of the point raised by Deputy Gilmore, the Taoiseach will be faced with the question of dealing with the commissionership before the end of the year. The Nice treaty required, and was approved on this basis, a reduction in the number of Commissioners below the number of countries unless the Heads of Government unanimously agreed some other position. The Taoiseach must form a view on this in the period ahead. It will come to a head before the end of the year and Ireland must have a view on the matter.

How does the Taoiseach propose going about consulting in terms of forming that view? People seemed to understand well that in voting "No" they were voting against the proposal under the Nice treaty, and at least bringing clarity under the Lisbon treaty, that every country would lose its Commissioner in strict rotation for a period. While Commissioners do not make decisions in the way the Council does, this was an important element of people's views in the campaign.

Can we have a Dáil debate? How does the Taoiseach propose to go about consulting widely in forming his view of what Ireland wants to do in respect of the Commissioner position because that is an important element of the Lisbon treaty and it might not require a constitutional referendum in the way that other matters clearly do?

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