Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Sub-Committee on Ireland's Future in the European Union aside, will the Taoiseach tell the House what other steps, if any, he is employing to identify, in his own words, the steps that need to be taken next year to define with Ireland's EU partners the elements of a solution and a common path to the Irish rejection of the Lisbon treaty? What other steps is the Taoiseach taking to address and identify, as he said, the steps that may or may not need to be taken? Does he not accept that the issues clearly identified surround workers' rights, protecting public services, democracy and sovereignty, and that these have been articulated time and again? Does the Taoiseach not accept that the Lisbon treaty has been rejected by the electorate in this State and that the real onus and responsibility on the Taoiseach is to accept that fact, to state that fact and to start building an alliance across Europe for a better deal?

In light of my first point regarding workers' rights, can the Taoiseach explain to the House why just last week Fianna Fáil MEPs voted against a social progress clause to be included in any future treaties put to member states following a parliamentary debate in Strasbourg on the Anderson report? How does he explain the voting position taken by the Fianna Fáil MEPs, which was not unique among Irish MEPs in attendance at that meeting? Why would they take such a contrary view to a social progress clause being included when it has already been identified as one of the key areas of concern to the Irish electorate arising from the detail of the Lisbon treaty itself?

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