Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank all speakers from all parties and groups for their comments. Food safety is a key issue for our Presidency. The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Walsh, answered questions on it recently in the European Parliament. I take the Senator's point on the labelling issue. I have spoken before about the standards of food safety in Asian countries. While I am not glad to see the outbreak of avian flu, I am glad there is a focus on the issue. The matter falls under the Commissioner Byrne's brief. However, given the veterinary research and work carried out in Ireland, along with the Food Safety Authority, as Senator Finucane said, we can make progress on the issue.

Senators Bradford, O'Rourke and McDowell made reference to the two-speed Europe. However, with regard to Senator McDowell's comments, the issue is not that member states will move at different paces to each other. Under treaty law, one can have a group of states coming together under enhanced co-operation and making a decision to move on a project. I have no difficulty with that as it has already happened with the Schengen Agreement and the euro. I have no problem so long as it is a collective decision of every member state to allow those states to do so. My difficulties with Mr. Prodi and others are that this is not what they are referring to when they speak of a two-speed Europe. There have been only one or two examples of enhanced co-operation moving forward and, even though the provision is there, the difficulty is that Mr. Prodi and others want to go in a different direction. My argument is not just with Romano Prodi, but also with those who support the integrationist approach to the EU. It seems extraordinary that when we get a Union of 25 member states, those who claim that they want more integration see the only way of achieving it as going outside the Union. It does not make sense if one's solution to making progress is to break away from the group. If one studies, as I have done for many months in preparation for the Presidency, which country blocks what - Senator Quinn referred to the advantage of Europe's competitiveness on which he is correct - one is more likely to find that France or Germany block proposals because they are not in their interests. When we are integrating, it is important to note what is being integrated and the reason for it. If everyone was honest, he or she would admit that people like to integrate those things they like and to block the things they do not like. There is an enormous contradiction in that regard. If representatives of all the members states are here and they agree to let four or five member states go ahead on an issue and other member states can join such an initiative now or at some time in the future on the same terms, that is different from the other concept, which is not new.

Romano Prodi, the President of Commission, is not the first one to propose its use, but accession countries - I have talked to representatives of all the accession countries about various aspects of accession this month - worry about this concept. They are in the process of joining the Union following referenda held last year. They hear people say that some countries want a two-speed Europe and their countries will be left behind. It is difficult enough for us, who have been a member of the Union for 30 years, to try to explain that concept.

I note what Senator Ross said about Ryanair and low cost fares. The only point I would make about it is that rather than talk about one issue, enforcing a fair and equitable state aid regime, which is what this is all about and I do not want to go into the detail of particular decisions, and having effective controls on state aid are hugely beneficial to small countries. If one was to remove from the equation the argument on the Ryanair issue, and I am sure Senator O'Toole would quickly remind me if I did not say this——