Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The suspension of rights in certain circumstances is used only as a matter of last resort such as in regard to a permanent disregard by a member state to deal with the issues with which it is entitled to deal in terms of its membership of the currency or Stability and Growth Pact. The conclusions provide for President Von Rompuy to undertake a separate and subsequent exercise beyond December to look at that issue. It is fair to say there was little support for the idea around the table. I, too, indicated my position on the matter. As I stated, I do not believe there is anything in the conclusions that should cause us concern. The suggestion that there would be a suspension of voting rights or that the rights of a country, as a member of the Union, would be taken away if it does not meet an exact target or deficit reduction and so on would not be regarded as right. While there was much press comment on that issue prior to the meeting the conclusions indicate nothing beyond a commitment to examine these issues, subsequent to dealing with the immediate issue of the permanent crisis mechanism.

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