Mr. Jim Higgins:

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Seanadóirí a chur na ceisteanna éagsúla agus a dúirt an oiread sin rudaí deasa. Aontaím leis an Seanadóir Ó Clochartaigh gur mhór an trua é nach n-úsáidtear níos mó Gaeilge i bParlaimint na hEorpa, go mórmhór os rud é go bhfuil foireann aistriúcháin ar fáil. Úsáideann triúr feisire - Séan Ó Ceallaigh, Pat the Cope Ó Gallchóir agus mé féin - an teanga go rialta sa Pharlaimint. Tá an-dainséar go gcuirfear an tseirbhís seo ar ceal muna bhfuilimid sásta níos mó úsáide a bhaint as. Is iontach an rud é go bhfuil an tseirbhís againn. Caithfidh mé an-chreidiúnt a thabhairt don iar-Aire, an Teachta Éamon Ó Cuív, a throid chun aitheantas oifigiúil a fháil don Ghaeilge mar theanga oifigiúil agus oibre sa Pharlaimint ionas go mbeadh an chóras aistriúcháin seo ar fáil. Os rud é nach bhfuil seans againn labhairt ar feadh níos mó ná dhá nó trí nóiméad, níl aon leithscéal ar bith acu siúd nach mbaineann níos mó usáide as an teanga. Tháinig an Ghaeilge isteach mar theanga oifigiúil agus oibre ar 1 Eanáir 2007. Ba cheart dúinn níos mó úsáide a bhaint as. Tá an-baol ann go gcaillfear an stádas seo muna bhfuil níos mó feisirí sástá an teanga a úsáid. Aontaím go hiomlán leis an méid atá ráite ag an Seanadóir.

I thank Senator Leyden for his kind comments. I made a deliberate decision not to mention in my contribution the possible reduction from 12 to 11 in Ireland's number of MEPs. It is off the radar at present even though it is crucial for this country. When the first direct elections took place in 1979, Ireland had 15 MEPs. That number was reduced to 13 and then to 12. One cannot blame the Germans and the French because this decision was taken in the European Parliament. The number of German MEPs is decreasing from 99 to 96 and the number of Irish MEPs is decreasing from 12 to 11. All of the small countries are being hit. The Lisbon treaty deemed that the maximum number of MEPs should be 751.

It also put in a condition that the minimum number for each country would be six. Therefore, Ireland, with a population of 4.5 million, would have 11 MEPs while Malta, with a population of 400,000, would be guaranteed six MEPs, and Luxembourg, with a population of 500,000, would also be guaranteed six MEPs. It is complete and utter folly. The Senator asked what will happen in regard to Turkey coming in. After Croatia comes in, Kosovo is very much in line and we will probably see it as a full member of the EU within the next two or three years.

I am not without hope that this may be vetoed. I know the Greeks feel very strongly about it. They are a bit like ourselves in regard to our indebtedness to Europe as, on the one hand, Greece is very much one of the programme countries but, on the other, the Greeks are very fired up about this, as are the Lithuanians. If there is a veto, and if Ireland decides to go that road, we will not be on our own. It is very much all to play for.

The Senator is correct with regard to the fodder crisis. Under the new CAP, we will have a harvest insurance scheme similar to that which applies in the United States - that is an integral part of the CAP. However, in the short term, I do not see anything coming from Europe, unfortunately. The Senator outlined the number of livestock which have died since the beginning of the year, which is frightening.

I pay tribute to my former colleague in the European Parliament, Senator Colm Burke. He had the unenviable task of stepping into the fairly sizeable shoes of the current Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, and he very much focused on foreign affairs, with particular reference to human rights. I know that in his capacity as an MEP, Senator Colm Burke visited Chad on several occasions. Unfortunately, he did not get the publicity he deserved at the time but he did a huge amount in terms of highlighting the problems in Chad as well as the problems in Gaza.

The Senator is right about the lack of media focus on the European Parliament, which is very much akin to what happens in this House. Was it Harold Wilson who said that all politics is local, and-----