Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Regarding the first matter, such matters are dealt with by the Department of Foreign Affairs' legal department, acting on advice from the Attorney General's office in the normal way. There is not sufficient progress to report to the Deputy. Until such time as there is sufficient progress, we are not in a position to discuss it with him. We will discuss it with him when we see what is emerging as the likely outcome. The legal texts will be consistent with the political guarantees we have obtained.

It was made clear, at the time of the December Council meeting when this agreement was reached by the French Presidency, that we would seek to have those matters, including those that are relevant and are available to be included in a subsequent accession treaty to be inserted as protocols in such an accession treaty. That is the arrangement we have agreed.

With regard to what I said at the Council meeting itself, it was not a question of getting short shrift from anybody. It was a question of the President of the European Parliament reporting to the European Council, as is normal at the beginning of every European Council. Arising from that, I was invited by the EU Council President to report on the general state of play in regard to our discussions. I confirmed to him and to the President of the European Parliament that we were in discussions and were still working within the timeframe that was agreed in the December Council meeting and that I expected to have the work completed in time for the June Council meeting so that there would be an opportunity formally to discuss and approve the outcome of that work.

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