European Parliament president Hans-Gert Pöttering has said he is confident Irish people will vote in favour of the EU reform treaty in next year's referendum and he has made no plans to visit Ireland to push for a Yes vote. Olivia Kellyin Strasbourg
Flattery appears to be the German Christian Democrat's tactic for securing a positive result in Ireland, the only country intending to hold a referendum on the treaty, as he said Irish people were too wise, too intelligent and had too great a European spirit to say no.
Mr Pottering told journalists in the European Parliament this week that he could not foresee a situation where Irish people would vote against the treaty, however he said he was not "living on the moon" and would be happy to come to Ireland to promote the treaty if invited.
"So far there are no concrete plans but I am ready to accept invitations," he said.
"Ireland is in a way a great country because Ireland has a great national and European spirit and so I am confident that the Irish people, with its intelligence and wisdom, will vote yes."
This wisdom would also help the Irish to accept its slight diminution in parliamentary representation. Ireland's complement of MEPs is set to fall from 13 to 12 from 2009.
"If Ireland loses one seat, this does not mean that the possibility of the Irish politicians and the Irish people to convince the others is going to be reduced," said Mr Pöttering.
Safe in their seats for now, the Irish MEPs turned their attention to climate change, this week approving proposals to restrict airlines' carbon emissions and endorsing a strategy to reduce the EU's CO2 emissions by 20 per cent by 2020.
A delegation from the parliament is flying to Bali, Indonesia, next month to put this strategy to an international climate change conference.
Fianna Fáil's Liam Aylward said he would like commitments from the US, China and India to achieve the same reductions as the EU. Action was needed, he said.
"I hope that the Bali conference will achieve specific goals and set specific targets that will be met internationally."
Turning his attention to home, the cost of condoms weighed heavily on Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa this week. Mr De Rossa is calling on Minister for Finance Brian Cowen to reduce VAT on condoms from 21 percent to the minimum possible 5 per cent.
"Cutting VAT on condoms to the minimum rate would be both a practical step in tackling Aids and a powerful symbolic gesture for World Aids Day," he said.