Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Every second issue would require the use of the emergency brake and that was not its intention. On qualified majority voting, with the British having put forward their position — which the Deputy knows is different from that in 2004 — we have to protect our position. In a limited number of areas where QMV would operate and which would be against the Irish interest, we would have to opt out. In the vast majority of cases I do not see any requirement to opt out.

See this speech in context