Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

This point was made previously by other Deputies and the situation improved for a period but we are back to the unsatisfactory earlier position.

With regard to the proposed European Union constitution, two trains of thought are clearly emerging in the EU member states. One is that no suggestion of a change in the proposed constitution should be tolerated, while the other, which is apparent particularly in countries such as France, is that changes will be essential if the proposed constitution is to be put to the people again. Leaving aside the suggestion that deciding not to call it a constitution next time around might do the trick, which I doubt, what is the Government's view on this critical issue? Will it side with those who favour no change or seek a renegotiation?

On the services directive, what position will the Government take at the forthcoming summit on the suggestion that the European Commission should be able to vet all national legislation with regard to services to determine whether it is in compliance with the Commission's view? Does the Taoiseach see the problem that will arise if the European Union, which favours neoliberal policies, privatisation and attacks on workers' pension rights, adjudicates on whether providers of services in this country should have decent wages and conditions for their workers, rather than operating to the lowest common denominator? What is the Taoiseach's view on this matter?

Two camps also emerged at the European Union-Latin American summit. Did the Taoiseach make his views known at the summit and, if so, with which countries did he side? Did he side with Bolivia, for example, which has insisted on re-taking control of its natural resources, such as water, gas and oil, from the multinational corporations which had taken them under previous regimes, in order that it might use them for the benefit of its people, or with those who want to continue the theft by multinational corporations of the natural resources of the Latin American people? I doubt the Taoiseach told President Chávez he had given all the oil and gas off the west coast to multinationals for nothing.

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