Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 10, inclusive, together.

I attended the spring European Council on 8 and 9 March in Brussels. As I will make a statement on the Council later today, I will at this stage merely give a summary account of its proceedings.

The main focus of the European Council was climate change and energy policy. Our discussions focused on the strategy for international climate protection and safeguarding Europe's energy supplies. A step-change is needed in our approach to developing renewable sources of energy and it was the view of the Council that this will only happen with binding targets. The Council has now agreed these targets. In particular, we have set a target following the post-Kyoto negotiations of a 30% reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases over the 1990 level. We have also agreed that in any event the European Union will achieve at a minimum a 20% reduction. In addition, we agreed a binding 20% target for renewable energy. These targets are ambitious but achievable.

The European Council also discussed the forthcoming Berlin declaration to mark the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, transatlantic trade relations, the Lisbon Agenda and the Union's international relations.

While at the European Council, I met the British Prime Minister, Mr. Blair, and we discussed the assembly elections in Northern Ireland. We issued a joint statement after the meeting.

On 19 February, I met the President of Poland, who was on an official visit to Ireland. Our meeting was a cordial one during which we discussed a wide range of issues of common interest to both Poland and Ireland. Our discussions focused in particular on the prospects of progress on the constitutional treaty.

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