FF TD ‘underwhelmed’ by Labour criticism of EU appointments - Ahern

"I understand that the Labour party feels that people will be 'underwhelmed' by the appointment of a 'little known' Belgian as President of the EU Council. These criticisms are made by a Labour TD who, let's be frank, is little known outside of his own party's frontbench and his own constituency."

"Deputy Costello – (Notes for Editors: apparently he is the Labour spokesperson on European Affairs) – suggests that this country had candidates who had a lot more to offer as President of the European Council. That is a matter of opinion but I suspect that if John Bruton had been appointed then a little known Belgian Socialist MP would be issuing statements saying that the new EU President was 'little known' outside his own country."

"The fact is that the vast majority of EU appointees are little known outside their own countries. Rather than indulge in dreary nitpicking it would be better for the Labour party to wish the new EU President well in his role."