Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

With regard to the future of the discussion on Europe and the future of the proposed EU constitution, the next Council meeting will be half-way through the Austrian Presidency which was scheduled to resolve this issue. What is the present thinking regarding a plan of action or a timescale among EU leaders for this debate on the proposed EU constitution? Will it be this year?

When the Taoiseach referred to the Presidency conclusions which were published in January, was his attention drawn to the section on Iraq where at the previous meeting he warmly welcomed the elections held on 15 December as being a further step towards democracy and stability in Iraq? In hindsight does he believe that sentiment should be revisited in his next meeting in March? In light of the hellish catastrophe which Iraq has become for its long-suffering people and which is far from stability, will he have any original proposal to bring to the Council of EU leaders to try to alleviate this nightmarish existence for the people of Iraq? Will he take the lead in calling for the withdrawal of the imperial armies who are responsible for the catastrophe that exists? Will he explain the reason he allowed the commander-in-chief of the main occupying army, President Bush, rally troops in Shannon Airport, which is on the Taoiseach's territory, in support of that occupation?

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