John Bruton
Question:12 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if a date has been set for the announcement of the appointment of Ireland's next EC Commissioner.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Appointment of EC Commissioner.
Dick Spring
Question:13 Mr. Spring asked the Taoiseach whether an announcement will be made about the appointment of a new European Commissioner; if so when; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Proinsias De Rossa
Question:14 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Taoiseach when the Government intend to announce the appointment of an Irish member of the European Commission to replace Commissioner Ray MacSharry who has announced that he is not seeking a second term; if he will give details of the criteria which will be used in the selection of a replacement; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 to 14, inclusive, together.
The Treaty of Rome provides that the members of the Commission shall be appointed by common accord of the Governments of the member states. The term of office of the present members of the Commission expires on 6 January next. When the intergovernmental conference to reach "the common accord" has taken place, there will, no doubt, be an announcement of the appointments.
In nominating a Commissioner the Government will, of course, have regard to the requirements of the Treaty that Commissioners shall be chosen on the grounds of their general competence and be persons whose independence is beyond doubt.
In addition, as I said in reply to a previous question on 10 March last, the Government will take fully into account the best interests of this country and of the European Community, including the fundamental importance we attach to the Commission's pivotal role under the treaties — a role we wish to see fully maintained.
I wish to avail of this occasion to pay a tribute to Commissioner Ray MacSharry. While performing his duties fully in accordance with the Treaty provisions that Commissioners shall neither seek nor take instructions from any Government or from any other body, he has ensured that in all the work of the Commission, there was a full understanding of Ireland's particular needs and circumstances. More generally, he has, through his outstandingly effective discharge of his important portfolio, reflected great credit on Ireland and helped to underline our commitment, as a country, to the Community and to European integration.
I have no doubt that he will continue to distinguish himself in the course of the work still to be done during his remaining term of office.
The House will be aware that I asked Commissioner MacSharry to accept nomination as Commissioner for a further term of office but that he informed me of his decision to leave public life and to tackle new challenges in the private sector. I regret, but understand and respect, that decision and I am sure the entire House will join me in expressing thanks and appreciation for all he has contributed to public life, to Ireland and to the European Community and in wishing him every success in his new endeavours in the private sector.
In view of the fact that the Taoiseach is setting deadlines for many things at the moment, has he a deadline for the making of an appointment to the Commission?
I shall decide when the time is appropriate for the proper person to be nominated by the Government for appointment to the Commission.
The Taoiseach is not being consulted, even though it is his right.
Sorry, lads.
I shall be making a nomination to the Government in due course.
The Taoiseach's spirit is alive and well and in good hands.
Would there be any applicants over there? Is Alan for reexport?
(Interruptions.)
I remind Deputy Bruton that no country has yet formally nominated a member of the next Commission.
I am sure that the Taoiseach was very disappointed at Mr. MacSharry's announcement that he would not continue in public life. I suggest to the Taoiseach that time is important in this regard. We are talking about a post that is very important for this country and for the Commission. Perhaps the Taoiseach would have the courtesy to now tell the House the date by which he intends to make the appointment.
For the benefit of the Deputy and for the information of the House, I point out that until last Monday afternoon it was not clear, nor had it been agreed, what the terms and the basis of the appointment of the next Commissioner would be. Under Article 158 of the Treaty the position on 1 January 1993 if the Maastricht Treaty were not ratified, would be that the appointment would be for a period of four years, with an insertion in the contract that it would be terminated after two years to allow for the new parallellism that is being sought to have the Parliament and the Commission function for the same period, and that consequent to the introduction of such parallellism the period of appointment would be for five years from 1 January 1995. It was only on last Monday evening that that issue was finally clarified. The Deputy will appreciate that that was a very important factor that had to be cleared up before any names could be considered.
I join the Taoiseach in wishing Mr. Ray MacSharry well in his new course in private life. The reforms he undertook in the Common Agricultural Policy were urgent and essential and were well carried through. Perhaps those reforms were one factor that led to Mr. MacSharry's decision to go into private life. Would the Taoiseach indicate what criteria he intends to use in choosing the person he will nominate to the Government and whether or not the selection criteria will be confined solely to members of the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party?
The Deputy may take it that when I make a nomination to the Government the person so nominated will, in my view, be the best person to do the job on behalf of this country and on behalf of the Commission in Europe.
Could I say that this is an important nomination the Taoiseach is making? It is a nomination he makes not just on behalf of himself but on behalf of this House and on behalf of the people of this country. Some criteria need to be established for appointing such a person.
It could be an opportunity to get Mary out of the way.
Is the Taoiseach aware that intensive lobbying is already taking place for the portfolios between the existing members of the Commission, approximately half of whom are almost assured of reappointment, and that there is a real risk that if Ireland does not put forward its nomination — given that our nominee will be a new nominee — Ireland will find itself with its Commissioner getting what could only be described as a rag bag portfolio, as happened on one occasion in the past because of a late appointment?
I could go back through the Official Report and find the same script that is repeated every time that a Commissioner's appointment comes up. I remind the House and Deputy Bruton that Deputy MacSharry was nominated on about 22 November. Could anybody seriously suggest that a portfolio of the size and complexity of agriculture was in any way not a reflection of the capacity of the man, the capacity that was recognised by the Commission in choosing Mr. MacSharry to be the Commissioner for Agriculture? The Government nominated Deputy MacSharry at the end of November; today's date is 7 October.
I advise the House that I shall proceed to deal with priority questions at 3.30 p.m. sharp, in accordance with the Standing Orders of the House dealing with priority questions.