Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Does the Taoiseach accept the verdicts of the French and Dutch people in rejecting the draft EU constitution? I am happy to state for the record that I welcomed these verdicts. Does he accept that, if an EU constitution is introduced, it will differ from the current draft constitution because the latter cannot secure the unanimous support of every EU member state? Will he join me in rejecting the view that the EU member states that have not yet voted have been intimidated by the verdicts in France and the Netherlands? An Irish MEP and Member of this House recently expressed this view.

I ask the Taoiseach to clearly explain the motivation for delaying the ratification period beyond November 2006. I would like a clear answer on this. Was it because the verdicts of the people of France and the Netherlands were respected, which implies that the constitution as it stands is, to all intents and purposes, dead in the water? Is it, as many suspect, an exercise to buy further time by placing the draft constitution for Europe in cold storage so it can be resurrected at some future time viewed as more auspicious in terms of the intent of the Taoiseach and others to have it approved? Perhaps the Taoiseach can advise us exactly what is the position as we would like to know. Does the Taoiseach still intend to proceed with a referendum on the draft constitution for Europe already rejected by both the French and Dutch electorates and, if so, when?

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