Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)

I am glad the Taoiseach has clarified the position on the derogation because the media and one of the social partners, the trade union movement, understood he had got a derogation on the charter. As he clarified the position and stated that he must look at the legal implications of the charter proposals from the UK, could I ask him how long the legal examination will take and when he will give full and wholehearted support for the charter?

Second, we all knew that there was an imminent referendum, whether on the EU constitution or the draft treaty. I am surprised that during the two weeks of negotiations between his party and the Green Party, the Taoiseach did not get a commitment from his partners now in Government that they would support the referendum on either the EU constitution or the draft treaty, and I would ask the Taoiseach to clarify the position.

I did not hear the Taoiseach's full report on the European Council, but the Single Market seemed to have been ignored in the ongoing controversy regarding the treaty. What proposals are there for the further development of the Single Market?

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