As the speculation on who will be our next Euro commissioner exploded this week, one expert turned to the Amsterdam Treaty and informed those concerned that the Government could, and indeed should, pick at least three persons. The treaty comes into force in May and states that if the President of the Commission, whoever that may turn out to be, is not happy with a particular nominee the member government should have others ready. So, the observer argues, if Bertie Ahern wants an important portfolio for the Republic, he should tailor his choices to the top jobs.
A prestigious portfolio needs someone with stature who can acquire a good brief and do a good job. So if the new Commission President is unhappy with one name or offers the nominee a low grade position, the Republic should be in a position to present another name and so get a better job. Meanwhile, the man on the way out, Pee Flynn, hosted his annual St Patrick's Day party in Brussels before flying to Poland for enlargement talks on Wednesday afternoon. Several commissioners turned up, including the second least popular (after Edith Cresson), outgoing President Jacques Santer and Britain's Leon Brittan (who with colleague Neil Kinnock appears secure for reappointment), as well as bureaucrats, hacks, secretaries, and of course Pee's own staff. The man himself was, believe it or not, in such good form that he sang The West's Awake.