Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The Council ultimately decides for Europe with regard to the international relationship. The President of the Council and the President of the Commission are working together on our case with the strategic partners to achieve progress. The high representative is also a member of the Commission as vice president and will be involved in these consultations. The Commissioner for Climate Action made a presentation to the Foreign Affairs Council meeting some weeks' ago. Discussions were held on the format from Cancun and whether the format agreed in Copenhagen is the best way of endeavouring to achieve international agreement on these issues. After Copenhagen, the Taoiseach was of the view that the modality was not the optimum, to say the least. In our discussions with President Obama there seems to be a general consensus that it would be very difficult to achieve agreement at a large plenary meeting and to deal with the nuts and bolts of negotiations. Cancun will be a platform to advance what was agreed in Copenhagen.

People are looking to the year 2011 for the prospect of an agreement. However, in our view, a smaller group of leaders might be preferable. From the perspective of the European Union, we need the President of the Council, along with President Barroso and the Commission, to represent Europe at these talks. It is preferable to have just enough numbers in the other blocs - not the G20 - but enough numbers to sit around a table to hammer out an agreement. This will not work with 150 to 200 people in a big plenary assembly.

Deputy Costello's third question was about discussion prior to the summit meeting. I am all in favour of such discussions. This is what happens at the Joint Committee on European Affairs and we do it well there. We are great for saying we should have discussions but I remind Members what happened this morning on the Order of Business. I do not wish to be disparaging in my remarks but the Order of Business is an awful waste of time for about ten, 15 or 20 minutes. Members ask the same old questions and they we give out about Parliament not giving enough time to discussions on Europe. We need to be serious about our business.

Certainly, legitimate issues are raised on the Order of Business but it drags on. Today, we began the European Council agenda at 12.15 p.m. This is a substantive debate about our relationship with Europe. Half the issues raised on the Order of Business are questions yet again on whether the firearms Bill is being published, for instance. We could tighten up the timeframe. We keep on calling for the opportunity to debate but it seems at times a lot of trivia gets in the way of substantial debate. Members may wish to join the Joint Committee on European Affairs in advance of its discussion on the General Affairs Council. It is emerging that the General Affairs Council will be the preparatory forum for the European Council. I am attending that Council and will give it the serious attention it deserves. Not all foreign ministers attend because of the differing structures of their offices but we have been asked and, to be fair, Mr. Van Rompuy is attending the dinners with the General Affairs Council with a view to having an impact on the agenda for the Council. I will consult the Taoiseach on the matter but our current preference is to utilise the Joint Committee on European Affairs in a real way.

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