Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I answered this question yesterday. Until such time as the June Council meeting is finished and we see what is being provided by colleagues at the European Council in respect of the reassurances we sought and it was agreed at the December Council we should get, the question of calling a date for a referendum is premature. The position of the Government is that on the basis of obtaining and giving legal effect to many of these commitments, we would then be in a position to consider favourably the question of a further referendum. It is an issue we should defer until after the June Council meeting.

On the question of levelling the playing pitch for everybody, it is something we should all work towards.

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