Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

We are not discussing the Presidency of Ireland at the moment; we are discussing the Presidency of the European Council. The former Taoiseach, Mr. Bruton, put his name forward and I can extoll the merits of the man. I have known him as a parliamentarian since I entered the House in 1984. He has been a committed European.

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