Cowen willing to support Finland's Olli Rehn for high representative role

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen has indicated he would back Finnish commissioner for enlargement policy Olli Rehn as candidate for the new EU role of high representative for foreign affairs, if there was sufficient support for him.

Mr Cowen, who described Mr Rehn as a “very effective commissioner”, told the Dáil there was “indication of the possible candidacy of David Miliband the UK foreign secretary but I understand he . . . is not a candidate”.

Sweden currently holds the EU presidency and its prime minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, has begun the first round of consultation with heads of government.

Mr Cowen said: “I brought to the Swedish prime minister’s attention the candidacy of Mr Rehn from Finland who is a person I could support if there was sufficient support for him. He has been a very effective commissioner.”

The Lisbon Treaty, which Mr Cowen said would come into force on December 1st, creates two new positions: a high representative for common foreign and security policy, who would represent all EU states abroad and be vice-president of the European Commission; and the post of president of the European Council, a position for which former taoiseach John Bruton has put his name forward.

The 27 EU leaders will meet next Thursday when the two jobs will be decided. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny welcomed the Taoiseach’s support for Mr Bruton’s bid for the presidency.

Asked by Labour leader Eamon Gilmore if he’d had any discussions with European Commission president José Manuel Barroso about possible portfolios for an Irish commissioner, the Taoiseach said he had a “general discussion”.

Mr Barroso “has made it clear that portfolios are not ascribed to countries, rather to individuals”. He was “not in a position to pursue the composition of his commission in any final way until he sees who is to be the high representative”.

Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin complained about the “wheeling and dealing and the fact that there are no particular criteria” for the post of president.

But the Taoiseach said the criterion was simple: “Do you have the confidence of your colleagues to run the show, or do you not?” Mr Bruton’s “record and commitment to the EU has been consistent, passionate and committed. On European matters there is much with which I would agree and perhaps very little with which I would disagree in respect of Mr Bruton.”