Ireland's seat at the EU table

THE Nice Treaty is of great concern to me for many reasons. One of these is that Ireland could be excluded from the European Commission for up to five years at a time.

To be left without a seat in this key legislative body could have the effect of leaving Ireland out in the cold for what is an eternity in today’s global economy.

The Protocol on Enlargement of the European Union, Article 4, provides that the European Council “shall adopt the number of members of the Commission” which number “shall be less than the number of member nations”. This is in addition to the Council’s increased power to appoint the Commission President and each Commissioner. A vacancy on the European Commission, due to death, retirement, or resignation, can also be left unfilled by the Council, if it so decides.

Under the Nice Treaty, Ireland will have only seven of 345 votes in the European Council, and 12 of 732 votes in the European Parliament. In the absence of an Irish Commissioner to speak for us, can we count on Britain, Germany, France, or Italy to look out for our national interests?

John-Paul O’Driscoll,

403 Harvest Loop,

Prattville, Alabama,

USA.