Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The question of adoption of whatever is agreed between ourselves and our partners on the issues outlined in the December Council conclusions would need to be agreed at a meeting of the European Council at heads of Government and state level. That could be the meeting in March, the meeting in June or a special meeting. Such a meeting can be convened at any time, it is up to the Presidency to decide it is right to do it.

The December conclusions set out indicative timelines. We are not obliged to say we can hold a referendum only between June and October, or that we can come to conclusions on these protocols only at the June meeting. We have until then to do these things, there is an understanding on the timelines for decisions, they are indicative, and I cannot say at this point what the time will be. This is a work in progress, although we know the indicative timelines. We do not have to stick to them rigidly, we can see what progress we are making, but we cannot continue with discussions about securing agreement beyond June. No decisions have been made.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs met with the Czech Presidency on a couple of occasions and officials met with Council legal services. The Attorney General has begun work, although we are not at an advanced stage of drafting as things stand. Discussions are taking place and the normal liaison is under way between the legal services division of the Council and a member state that is having something drafted based on Council conclusions at previous Council meetings.

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