Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I have no difficulty with the Order of Business as proposed by the Deputy Leader. I understand that my party's spokesperson supports the taking of all Stages on No. 2. While it is unusual that all Stages would be taken in one day, I understand that this is a minor matter.

As the Deputy Leader is aware, the process is well under way for the selection of a new President of the EU Commission. A decision on the matter will be taken by the EU leaders at the June Council meeting which will take place in the next five weeks or so. The Government has an unprecedented opportunity to put forward the name of the President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, MEP, for that post. Mr. Cox has considerable experience and is intimately familiar with the new accession countries and their leaders because enlargement has been a pet political project of his for the past five years. He is head of the European Parliament and one of the first tasks for the new Parliament when it meets in Brussels after the European elections will be to ratify the nomination from the European Council. In addition, Mr. Cox comes from a small country which is a major advantage in Europe at present in light of the difficulties between France, Germany and Britain.

This is an unprecedented opportunity for the country to support the candidature of Pat Cox whose appointment to the position of President of the Commission would be good for Ireland and the European Union. In order to assist and bolster his case, the Government should state that its first choice in terms of the selection of a new EU Commissioner from this country would be Pat Cox. However, if he were to be appointed President of the EU Commission, the post of Commissioner would fall to someone else.

This is a gigantic political prize, which awaits Ireland and the European Union. I do not believe that political preferment should be used to select someone to be the new president. In the interests of this country, other small countries throughout the EU and the new accession states, Ireland should get behind the nomination of Pat Cox and put his name forward because he would make an excellent President of the EU Commission. Jacques Delors, one of the great EU Presidents, drove many of the advancements made in the 1980s. We need that kind of dynamic new vision for Europe and the country should get behind Mr. Cox.