JASON FITZHARRIS,
Sir, - Much has been made by the anti-Europeans over Ireland's loss of three MEPs and the doubling of our vote in the Council of Ministers compared with the trebling for the larger states.
The anti-Europeans typically mention that in an enlarged Union we will have only seven votes out of 345 in the Council of Ministers. However, if you look at the levels of representation in percentage terms, the smaller states are more favoured than the larger states. The number of votes in the Council of Ministers and the number of MEPs was never designed to be equal for all member-states. Instead it is weighted to take account of the population of each member-state.
Currently the 15 EU member- states have a total population of 380 million of which France has 60 million, or 16 per cent, and Ireland has 3.8 million, or one per cent. There are currently 87 votes in the Council of Ministers of which France has 10, or 11.5 per cent, and Ireland has 3, or 3.5 per cent. Currently in the European Parliament there are 626 MEPs of which France has 87, or 14 per cent, and Ireland has 15, or 2.5 per cent.
Post-Nice, in an enlarged Union, the 27 EU member-states will have a total population of 490 million with France having 60 million, or 12 per cent, and Ireland having 3.8 million, or 0.8 per cent. The Council of Ministers will have 345 votes which France will have 29, or 8.5 per cent, and Ireland will have seven, or two per cent. The European Parliament will have 732 MEPs of which France will have 72, or 10 per cent, and Ireland will have 12, or 1.5 per cent.
Looking at these simple numbers anyone will see that in percentage terms France's representation is lower than its population and Ireland's representation is higher. Since the EU is, as the anti-Europeans would say, a partnership, when new partners join the voting strength of the existing partners will naturally decrease. The anti-Europeans are saying that we should keep our levels of representation. In reality what they are really saying is that they don't want enlargement.
Of course the anti-Europeans would argue why can't the smaller states have the same representation as the larger states.
Well, imagine our Dáil where Carlow has the same number of TDs as Dublin. I know that the people of Carlow would be delighted although the people of Dublin might feel discriminated against. The people of Dublin wouldn't put up with such unfair representation so why should we expect it in Europe? - Yours, etc.,
JASON FITZHARRIS, Oak Park Avenue, Carlow