Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the most likely procedure to be followed here and in other EU countries in the matter of the ratification of the European constitution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7054/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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It is for each member state to ratify the European constitution in accordance with its own legal and political requirements. Belgium completed the parliamentary process required for it to ratify the European constitution on 8 February. This means that 14 of the 25 member states have now ratified the constitution.

Following last year's negative referendum results in France and the Netherlands, the European Council decided to embark on a period of reflection concerning the constitution and the future of Europe. During the current Austrian Presidency, the European Council will take stock of the situation and decide how best to proceed at this time.

Given the continuing uncertainties at European level, the conditions are not now right for holding a referendum on the EU constitution in Ireland. In the circumstances, and while we remain very strongly committed to the constitution, there are no plans at this time to move the 28th Amendment of the Constitution Bill, which was published in May 2005, to Second Stage.