Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

No, I do not have that detail. This question relates to the specific meeting that was held on the Georgia question. As I said in my initial reply, a series of meetings was arranged, arising from that initiative, to ascertain whether this matter can be resolved peaceably. The EU envoy, Mr. Morel, represents the Union's interests in those continuing discussions. The Deputy also raised the possibility of holding a further referendum. He is aware that everything depends on the concerns of the Irish people on taxation, defence and ethical and social issues, including workers' rights, being addressed to our satisfaction as our partners have promised. The question of revisiting the ratification process remains firmly in our own hands. I have consistently said that no decision has been taken yet. We have committed ourselves to seek to ratify the treaty before the end of the term of the current Commission if we are satisfied when the detailed follow-up work has been completed. The Minister for Foreign Affairs took the opportunity to meet the Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic at yesterday's meeting. He discussed the logistics of what we are engaged in with them. We are working on detailed texts that have to be submitted to the legal services section of the European Commission. If the Commission is satisfied with them, the matter will be taken up with the Czech Presidency at that stage.

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