Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will get back to the Deputy regarding the report on Irish Nationwide Building Society.

In regard to the MFF, the Tánaiste has worked exceptionally hard at this. I travelled with him to Brussels on a bank holiday Monday for discussions on the matter with the President of the European Commission, Mr. Barroso, and the President of the European Parliament, Mr. Schulz. Agreement in this regard is of great importance for the European Union as a whole and not just Ireland. One of the issues they raised was the draft amending budget for 2012-13, which has a ceiling of €11.2 billion. They wanted a substantial down payment on that. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, was able to put €7.3 billion from the countries through ECOFIN, leaving €3.9 billion to be paid towards the end of the year. I was not in a position to give a legally binding guarantee in this regard because I do not have that authority.

Following that meeting, discussions began in respect of the MFF. There has been a great deal of game-playing in this regard.

The European elections are next year. This is a very substantial tranche of money. The Tánaiste and Mr. Lamassoure presented the findings here to the group of rapporteurs, all of them without dissent. Subsequently there were comments made about the nature of the deal. This is proceeding. I understand the Tánaiste is briefing people today in Brussels. There will be a meeting of the presidents of the sectors of the Parliament today. I have to go there either tonight or tomorrow morning. There may be a requirement for a pre-Council presidential meeting dealing with the MFF but I hope that we will be able to get it through. The different sectors in the Parliament have changed their views on several occasions. It seems to be in a way unusual that the European Council agrees on the budget. The European Parliament has a requirement to give its imprimatur and approval following the Lisbon treaty. I respect that fully. The Parliament then voted down the budget, wanted more money, greater flexibility and several other issues-----

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