EU commissioners risk going into orbit

THE concept of ‘one for everyone in the audience’ regarding the number of EU commissioners should be abandoned.

The EU has a potential of 42 or 43 member states (from Iceland to Turkey, in the Balkans and Caucuses). Group dynamics would ensure that in order to avoid paralysis in decision-making, an inner core of 15 to 20 (of the 40+) commissioners with meaningful portfolios would form naturally. The seven countries with more than 40 million populations would dominate. The other commissioners would be in an outer orbit, like ministers of state here at home.

I believe they would be ineffectual supernumeraries. The Government showed its attitude to the commission when it failed to nominate two outstanding Irish Europeans, Peter Sutherland and Pat Cox, to it.

Surely we should realise that in a commission of more than 40 members, a meaningful portfolio would be available to Ireland only once every 50 years (or even less). Ireland cannot adopt an attitude of spoilt child seeking to get its way.

The Lisbon Treaty formula was fair, even over-generous, to small states. Ireland should drop its plea for a commissioner per state which is so obviously against its best interests.

Ireland’s best hope in the developing EU rests with our citizens in the EU civil service, our outstanding diplomats in EU states and in Iveagh House, other Irish civil servants, particularly in the professional areas, and Irish people who have risen to the top in the corporate world. I believe in a federal Europe (Canadian rather than US model) with a short and simple constitution. That is not available yet. Lisbon is second best, but it is the only formula currently available. Sense should prevail.

Seán McBride

Oakpark

Tralee

Co Kerry