The president of the European Parliament, Mr Pat Cox, was greeted with a round of applause when he met EU leaders yesterday for the first time since taking office in January.
Mr Cox told the leaders he wanted to establish a new relationship between the Parliament and the European Council, as meetings of EU leaders are called.
He said the economic agenda under discussion yesterday needed parliamentary support to become reality and he was determined to ensure that his institution played its part.
"I am determined to bring leadership to this institution and to connect it to the council," he said.
During yesterday morning's meeting, the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, admitted that he had long been sceptical about the parliament. He regarded Mr Cox's election as a huge step forward, however.
Mr Cox dismissed reports that he was planning to resign temporarily as president to campaign for the Nice Treaty in a second referendum in the Republic.
But he promised to play an active role in a referendum campaign and said he might have to hand some duties to his deputy, Mr David Martin. "I will not be resigning but if I need to get a bit of space, I'll ask David Martin to take on some duties."
Mr Cox said there was no question of using any of his staff or the facilities of the presidency in a referendum campaign.
But the Green MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna, claimed that any campaigning role in a referendum would be an abuse of Mr Cox's position.
"It is now clear why the Irish political establishment backed Mr Cox's candidacy for president earlier this year. They had always planned to use this high-level EU position as a tool to coerce the Irish voters into backing the Nice Treaty at a second referendum. However, the Irish voters cannot be easily manipulated and I hope they can see this announcement by Pat Cox as an effort to hoodwink them into accepting a treaty which is fatally flawed," she said.
"This decision by Pat Cox is a disgraceful abuse of his position as president of the EuropeanParliament and clearly confirms his desire to have it both ways, president of the EuropeanParliament when it suits, and propaganist for Nice when the opportunity arises," commented Ms McKenna.
