Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

I am delighted to see the Minister for Foreign Affairs here. How to deal with the constitutional treaty is the central issue overshadowing every EU summit and meeting and, indeed, every meeting of the National Forum on Europe these days as the various party leaders have made their contributions on their vision for Europe. I saw nothing in the Taoiseach's speech to indicate a road map for a way forward. I presume no bilateral meeting has yet taken place between the German Presidency and the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Deputy Treacy, but there must be some preparations being made for it on how to respond on the issue of progressing the constitutional treaty. Could the Minister elaborate on the thinking within Government on how we might resolve this crux and move forward? There has been the period of reflection and the period of analysis, and the German Presidency has indicated, seemingly quite firmly, that the buck would stop to some degree with the Presidency in terms of whatever road map would be put together for others to follow in finalising a new dispensation on the constitutional treaty. What is Government thinking on this matter?

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