Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had with the President of the European Parliament in regard to the need to retain the present level of Irish membership of the European Parliament; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7590/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Article 14.2 of the Treaty on European Union sets an overall ceiling of 750 seats, plus the President, for the European Parliament. It also provides that representation of citizens shall be degressively proportional, with a minimum threshold of six members per Member State, and that no Member State shall be allocated more than ninety-six seats. There is a need therefore to adjust the distribution of seats in the Parliament before the 2014 elections to take account of the accession of Croatia in 2013.

Under Article 14.2, the composition of the European Parliament is decided by the European Council by unanimity on the initiative of the Parliament and with its consent. Therefore the right of initiative in relation to this issue rests with the European Parliament. The Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament (AFCO) had its first consideration of a draft report on 22 January 2013. AFCO will further consider the draft report over the coming weeks and a vote in the European Parliament is planned for the March plenary session. When Parliament has agreed on its proposal will the matter come to the European Council. The Parliament must also give its consent to the decision reached by the European Council.