Fontaine: give more power to Parliament

Nicole Fontaine, the President of the European Parliament admitted she was prepared for a hostile Irish reception after the Nice Treaty defeat and the Commission's refusal to allow state aid to Aer Lingus, the Irish airline carrier. During an official visit to Ireland Madame Fontaine said she understood and agreed with many of the criticisms levelled against the EU in Ireland.

According to her, the EU often does not relate to its citizens and needs to be more 'human' and less focussed o...