Who’s the president of Europe? Sinn Féin TD can’t seem to grasp the EU presidency concept

Neale Richmond tried to explain to Cathy Bennett that there was no actual president of the EU. Photograph: iStock

Ah, here. Not another presidential election.

Sure we’re only just over the last one.

What’s this one about?

A new president of Europe?

And who’s going for it this time? It’s happening in July, so we’ll have to move fast and find a good candidate.

Mary Lou McDonald, leader of noted Europhile party Sinn Féin, would fit the bill.

It’s all making sense now. There was huge speculation last year that she was going to run for the Áras. The general view at the time was that she would probably win if she threw her hat in the ring.

In the end, she decided not to run. Could it be that she already had her eye on a much larger stage?

Cathy Bennett, the Sinn Féin TD for Cavan-Monaghan, let the cat out of the bag during a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade on Wednesday.

Minister of State Neale Richmond, who would like to think he is almost as knowledgeable on EU matters as the ardent supporters of the European project in Sinn Féin, was there for the Government.

Deputy Bennett, with a sheaf of briefing notes in front of her, questioned him closely on aspects of the department’s budget.

“And then, just in relation to the EU presidency,” she said to Neale, who was listening intently as there isn’t much Sinn Féin doesn’t know about Europe, “how much have you set aside for that, and how much is that going to cost us to look for a candidate for the EU presidency?”

“Eh, well, it doesn’t, doesn’t ...”

Neale seemed to be searching for the right words to say.

Cathy leapt in.

“Will that come out of your department?”

He tried to explain.

“We’re entitled to the EU presidency. There’s no candidate as such ...”

Oh.

“There’s no candidate so,” murmured Cathy.

“So, it’s just a rotation,” replied Neale.

Oh.

Anyway, back to budgetary matters.