We are now in a phase where we are preparing a possible agenda for the intergovernmental conference. There should be widespread debate on the various options which might be considered for increasing the democratic accountability of European institutions. I strongly support Ireland's position as a member of the Council of Ministers and nothing I have said would imply a diminution.
The Commission must retain the sole power of initiative in the European Union. If the Council of Ministers or the European Parliament were given the power of initiative, in European terms literally everybody's business would be nobody's business. The reason the European Union has been such a success is that the Commission has the sole power of initiative — the original founding idea of Jean Monnet. It was considered acceptable at the time that the Commission would not have a direct democratic mandate because many of its powers and the issues dealt with were limited.
Now that the range of issues upon which the Commission might take an initiative is being widened the argument might be advanced that there is a case for enhancing its democratic mandate. Many of those opposed to a deepening of Europe use the lack of a democratic mandate falsely and unwisely as an excuse for not giving the Commission more powers or diminishing its powers. Anything which reduces the dynamic role of the Commission is not in the interests of either European intergration or Ireland. During the years the Commission has been a very good friend to smaller member states.
We should have a discussion on how the Commission can be brought closer to the people. One of the suggestions I made in a political context at a political meeting for consideration by my colleagues, not as a formal Government position, was that an opportunity might be sought at some stage — perhaps not at this intergovernmental conference but a later one — to consider whether the President of the Commission should be elected in much the same way as the head of the executive branch of the United States Federal Government is elected, directly by the people. This is an issue which at least should be in people's minds, if not on the formal agenda at this juncture.
On the question of accountability of the Commission to national parliaments, I was not suggesting that national parliaments should be involved in nominating it. I was suggesting that it might be the responsibility of a Commissioner to be accountable on an ongoing basis and to meet with a parliament of a member state other than his or her own. For example, the Swedish Commissioner might regularly appear either before the Dáil or before the EU committee of the Dáil so that a personal relationship would build up between individual members of the Commission and Parliaments of member states. I believe that would bring the Commission closer to the people and would create a greater opportunity for its work to have public support. However, I make no claim for exclusive wisdom in regard to the proposals I am making.