Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I will hear the Attorney General's view but would also like to hear the view of the Council secretariat. It can draw on much practice and precedent to form a judgment on this issue. The preliminary view is that it poses no difficulty but I would like to see the matter taken into account. When examining a case, the ECJ does not just consider how it affects European law in the countries that have signed up for it, but also the implications of an opt-out clause. This should not cause any difficulty but I would like this to be crystal clear.

See this speech in context