Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Van Rompuy paper does not contain individual insertions from individual countries. Today I sent a letter to Mr. Van Rompuy setting out again the position as far as this country is concerned, which has been articulated by the Minister for Finance and officials in intensive discussions in recent weeks. When the Deputy reads the Van Rompuy paper, he will see that there are no insertions in it from any individual country, rather it is a presentation by the President on all of the discussions that have taken place.

Of course, I am proud and privileged to represent the people as Taoiseach at the discussions. Clearly, I am not the only one who has made a strong point about democratic legitimacy in our dealings with both the European Union and within the eurozone. I have often said the European Union was built on a union of equals, not on the perspectives of individual countries. It is a union of equals in which the views of everyone from the smaller countries such as Cyprus to the larger ones are equally important. It is important that the political leadership of the eurozone and preferably the 27 EU member states makes political decisions that will bring certainty to the economic position within the eurozone. I note the newly appointed Prime Minister of Italy has put through an austerity package in excess of €30 billion and that there is a new Prime Minister in Belgium. I hope the political leadership will focus on the crisis and make decisions that will bring certainty to it and the discussion about how we should deal with budgetary discipline and those countries that have stepped out of line which Ireland has not. This country has borrowed over €50 billion at interest rates of 5% and 6%; that is an issue I am interested in addressing and will do so at the Council meeting when I have the opportunity to contribute.

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