Taoiseach denies charter 'opt-out'

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today denied his Government sought an "opt-out" of the charter of fundamental rights which will be made legal within the framework of the new European Union "reform treaty".

Last week EU officials confirmed that Ireland and Poland had both sought to reserve their right to follow Britain in opting out of the charter which contains a range of citizens' rights including the right to engage in collective bargaining and strike action.

In an address to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) biennial delegate conference in Co Donegal today, Mr Ahern said: "We simply prudently and sensibly indicated that we would wish to study the implications of the UK position regarding their request to introduce a Protocol on the Charter relating to its scope in UK law."

He said: "While we will continue to examine the technical implications, we are satisfied that the text of the Charter itself and the wording to be included in the Treaty appear to adequately define its scope and application."

"My objective going into the recent European Council was to ensure that any changes did not undermine the balance and substance of the Constitutional Treaty negotiated in 2004," Mr Ahern told delegates

Green Party TD Ciarán Cuffe has warned his party's support for the European Referendum Treaty was contingent on Ireland's full endorsement of the charter of rights.

Mr Cuffe said: "Opting out would damage equality within Europe and effectively render Irish people as second class citizens in terms of protection of their rights."

The Dún Laoghaire TD said his party would not support Ireland's watering down of EU-wide equality legislation for domestic implementation.

Yesterday Ictu president Peter McLoone also warned it may not support the new EU "reform treaty" unless it gets assurances that the Government will support the charter on fundamental rights.

Mr McLoone said reports that Ireland had sought to reserve its right to follow Britain in opting out of the charter were of serious concern to congress.

He said: "The charter represents a statement of basic values to inform the development of the EU - basic values like respect for human rights and human dignity, democracy, equality, and workers' rights.

"Any form of opt-out would represent a significant shift in the Taoiseach's position - outlined to this conference in 2005 - and would jar incongruously with everything we have tried to achieve on workplace rights in Towards 2016," he added.