07/02/2001 (Agence Europe) - President Prodi was questioned during his press conference on Wednesday concerning Ireland, which, despite its success for the main objectives of the Lisbon Process, is "reprimanded" for its budgetary policy (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.7). "Sometimes the teacher even has to punish the best pupil", said the president of the Commission, noting that Ireland had been warned over the past three years that it was moving away from the parameters fixed in common. Romano Prodi, who was speaking about the recommendation made to Dublin that the European Commission proposes to have adopted by the Ecofin Council on 12 February, said there was no alternative, that it was a matter of duty, and that the same would happen to other countries if necessary.