The Government is willing to back Mr Pat Cox in his campaign to secure the presidency of the European Commission if his name is put forward by another EU state, write Arthur Beesley, Political Reporter and Denis Staunton in Strasbourg
After the Munster MEP said he was standing down from the European Parliament yesterday, a Government spokesman said the Taoiseach would support Mr Cox or any other Irish candidate if they had a "clear chance" of becoming the next president.
However, he said it was not open to Mr Ahern to nominate any Irish candidate for the prestigious post because of Ireland's presidency of the EU. This means that Mr Cox would have to secure a nomination from another EU state before the Government could back him.
Mr Cox has developed a strong political profile throughout Europe during his time as president of the European Parliament, especially in the new member-states. But an informed source said yesterday that no government had offered him formal support in advance of the accession ceremonies last weekend.
Mr Ahern is in the early stages of a tour of EU capitals, during which he will discuss the selection of a new president for the European Commission. However, a Government spokesman said the Taoiseach's task as president of the European Council was to secure EU-wide agreement on a candidate, rather than to promote an Irish candidate.
Mr Cox told the European Parliament in Strasbourg that he made his decision to step down after 15 years as an MEP with "very mixed emotions" and hinted at his ambition to secure a top EU post. "Europe has been the cause of my political life. I will continue serving the cause in any way that I can," he said.
Mr Cox declined to speak to Irish reporters after his statement, but he is reported to have told German television yesterday that he would like to succeed Mr Prodi as Commission president. "It's not a job you can apply for but if it were possible to apply, you would have a candidate in front of you now," he is quoted as saying.
Possible rivals to Mr Cox for the job include Belgium's Prime Minister, Mr Guy Verhoftsadt, who made his interest plain during last Saturday's dinner for EU leaders in Dublin.
The External Affairs Commissioner, Mr Chris Patten, also emerged last weekend as a strong contender when he declined to rule out accepting the post.
Among the MEPs to suggest yesterday that Mr Cox would make a good Commission president was Fianna Fáil's Mr Gerard Collins, who acknowledged that Mr Cox's departure enhanced his own chances of retaining his seat. "
Obviously he has an exceptionally high profile and a very well-deserved profile and he would have been a very strong candidate," he said.