Cowen to wait for EU talks before making Lisbon II plan
TAOISEACH Brian Cowen said yesterday his plan for Ireland's approach to the Lisbon Treaty won't be finalised until after talks at next week's summit of EU leaders.
Mr Cowen's counterparts across Europe will have a vital input into the final draft in those negotiations, where Lisbon's future will be debated. The Taoiseach said his roadmap on how to progress with the treaty was a "work in progress" and wouldn't be finalised until after negotiations at next week's summit.
But German Chancellor Angela Merkel is already confident the EU will implement the treaty as Ireland is "working intensively" to ratify it. Mr Cowen said he is required to set out the elements of a solution at the summit.
"What we are trying to do is set out what are the conditions, what are the means by which Ireland could consider this issue again," he said.
The Taoiseach said he was seeking to allay the concerns the Irish people raised in respect of various matters in the referendum.
After a meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Downing Street yesterday, Mr Cowen said he remains hopeful a solution can be found to the difficulties caused by the 'No' vote in the June's referendum. "The meeting is next week. The conclusions are drawn up after discussions at those meetings. And what progress we can make in respect of this issue generally, can only emerge at those meetings," he said.
"We are still in discussions, meeting people this week. . . I'll be in contact with other colleagues later, between now and the meetings, so it's really a work in progress," he said. Following her meeting with Mr Cowen in Berlin this week, Ms Merkel expressed her confidence the EU will succeed with its plan to implement the treaty. Ms Merkel told the Bundestag, Germany's lower House of Parliament, she believes the EU will put the treaty into effect as there were positive signs coming from the countries which still had to ratify it, such as Ireland.
"Ireland is working intensively on ratifying the treaty and we support their efforts," she said. Mr Cowen is now heading to Paris to meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace. He will complete his series of meetings with the major EU players by dropping in to European Commission President Jose-Manuel Barroso in Brussels.
Meanwhile, Tanaiste Mary Coughlan told the Dail that there was no legislation proposed "at present" to deal with the issues that have arisen from the Lisbon Treaty referendum. Amid criticisms from Fine Gael about the lack of communication between the Government and other pro-Lisbon Treaty parties about the impasse, Ms Coughlan said the Taoiseach would brief them on Wednesday before he departs for the crunch EU summit meeting.
However, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny claimed there was "little point" in meeting leaders of the Opposition the day before he speaks to his European counterparts.
"The Taoiseach has briefed, or is in the process of briefing, every leader in Europe on the Government's intentions with regard to the Lisbon Treaty. There is little point in coming to leaders of the Opposition the day before he goes off to speak to the heads of government about his intentions at the council meeting," he said.
Despite repeated questioning from Fine Gael on whether the "elements of a solution" will include the option of a second referendum, Ms Coughlan refused to be drawn on any specifics.
- Fionnan Sheahan Political Editor in London and Aine Kerr
