Ahern sounds hopeful note on EU constitution

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said today he was hopeful agreement could be reached on the draft EU constitution during Ireland's EU Presidency.

A meeting of the Inter-Governmental Conference on the new constitutional treaty for the EU collapsed in Brussels last month.

Despite the fact that the 25 states involved agree on the majority of points in the draft constitution debate, there remain significant differences in a number of policy areas, including Ireland's desire to retain the national veto on taxation policy. There is also a major gap between over the voting strengths of various member states in the new enlarged Council of Ministers.

Speaking following a meeting with the Prime Minister of Sweden, Mr Göran Persson, in Government Buildings, he said that while there were still a number of key issues to be resolved, "there is broad agreement on many important elements."

Mr Ahern said Ireland was "determined to do all that we can to make progress and build consensus" during its six-month tenure.

"Whether we can reach agreement under our Presidency depends in large part on whether sufficient political will exists," the Taoiseach added. "If a real prospect of agreement emerges we will move immediately to seize the opportunity."

However, Mr Persson was more cautious, warning that the difficulties in securing agreement were not to be underestimated. "If we have the ambition that we will finalise negotiations during 2004, the chances to do so are a little better in the end of the year than the beginning," Mr Persson said.

"We should not exaggerate the possibility of fulfilling [the IGC] in the Irish P residency, but it is possible to do so," he said.

Mr Ahern will meet the Spanish Prime Minister,   Mr Jose Aznar in Madrid next Monday and will host talks with the Prime Minister of Poland, Mr Leszek  Miller in Dublin.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, will also host an informal discussion in Brussels next Monday.