Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

When the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, was here and I met him he said we would need something to do with own resources and flexibility to get approval from the European Parliament. When President Van Rompuy was in the European Parliament recently he was given a fairly torrid time. Some sections of the Parliament are already gearing up for the European elections next year.

At the end of the day, there was a general acceptance of the validity of the budget. The figures under the five headings were: smart and inclusive growth, €451 billion; sustainable growth and natural resources, €373 billion; security and citizenship, €16 billion; global Europe, €59 billion; and administration, €62 billion. There were reductions for the Commission, there were reductions all around, with compromise here and there. For us, we made the point that a budget fit for purpose was required, that the CAP had to be protected and that it was necessary to look after research and innovation and to put money into employment schemes for young people. In a more local sense, we raised the PEACE programme for Northern Ireland and the issue of funding for rural development and for the situations that arose here. Other countries such as Cyprus, Malta, Sweden, Denmark and Austria, for Alpine farmers, did the same.

Each leader's country had its own case to make. To accommodate all of these in a budget which was going to be reduced, it was better to compromise rather than to have to revert to the annual negotiation of budgets. That would absorb an enormous amount of time and torpedo the effectiveness of Ireland's Presidency. I am glad the Council made its decision and hope we can work with the President of the European Parliament and the Commission to obtain consent and approval. I hope this can become a reality soon.

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