Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I do not agree with Deputy Ó Caoláin's analysis. During the course of the Lisbon treaty referendum campaign we had this discussion about what are the institutional arrangements and - something Deputy Ó Caoláin disagrees with - what is the democratic validity of democratically elected leaders of governments meeting for the purpose of adopting common policies, co-decision-making powers with a directly elected European Parliament, and a Commission that acts as guarantor of the treaties for all member states, large or small. These institutional arrangements are what have made the European Union successful and where exclusive conferences at EU level are allied to conferences at national level. The EU is a union of states and peoples. I do not see anything undemocratic in directly elected Heads of Government of 27 democracies sitting down at a European Council to decide who should chair a meeting. It is absurd to suggest this is undemocratic. I could not figure out the logic behind or understand the view of the Deputy's party that we should have a directly elected President of the Council, elected by all the people of Europe. It was something I saw somewhere along the way and the suggestion was that it was perhaps more democratic. One may ask the question of how that democratic validity marries with the democratic legitimacy of the Heads of Government. Such thinking has not worked out from Sinn Féin's point of view.

The Lisbon treaty represents a consensus and a compromise. It is the agreed means by which the European Union will develop in the foreseeable future and for a long time. That is the way it is and that is the emerging consensus. People can hold individual views about how it should be, but I believe in the community method and the community method will inform our position in respect of the filling of these vacancies as well. The community method is about trying to develop a consensus around an agreed candidate. A number of people have been spoken about. Some have declared themselves publically and others have not. Others may be available should there be an agreement among colleagues that they should take up the position.

At any time the EU Presidency has the responsibility to assess and ascertain the level of support for prospective candidates and how to proceed and to get a decision. It has been indicated that this is how the decision will be made tomorrow week. I can do nothing for the Deputy if he holds a cynical view of it. That is the procedure, that is what has been agreed and that is what has been adopted constitutionally in many parliaments and through a referendum in this country. This treaty will probably come into force on 1 December and contains a provision that there will be a President of the Council. The President of the Council may be an existing member of the Council, a former member or, perhaps, in theoretical terms, someone who was never a member of the Council. However, when a group of leaders ask someone to chair a meeting, it is likely it will be someone with whom they are acquainted, in whom they have confidence and someone whom they may personally know or who has a reputation as someone who is capable of doing the job.

The position in respect of the former Taoiseach, Mr. John Bruton, is that before the last European Council meeting he wrote and indicated his availability in particular in the event that no existing member of the Council was available to take up the position. He let it be known that his name could be considered in that respect. Given his position as a former Taoiseach and his current position as ambassador to the United States on behalf of the EU, he is entitled to put forward his availability. As leader of the Government, I made it clear, as I should, that regardless of our political differences in domestic politics, I would bring his experience and the merits of his candidacy to the attention of anyone who was interested, who inquired about it or who wanted to know, if they did not already know. They would know from the correspondence he sent. There is no problem with that.

I will not speculate on the candidates to emerge beyond the tenure of this or any other election. That is a matter for democratic decision. People can put forward who they wish and there is no harm in that; it is called democracy. However, in the meantime if a person shows an interest in a position and I believe he is capable, on all objective merit, of doing the job there is no reason that as a fellow Irishman I should not indicate the merits of his candidacy. There are others who claim they can do the job too. The question of who will emerge as a candidate at the end of the day is a matter for political discussion. These are political decisions. One does not go and examine a book on political science to find out the criteria for this job.

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