Apologies have been received from Ms Avril Doyle, MEP. I welcome Mr. Seán Ó Neachtain, MEP. I believe it is his first time to attend the committee. We had a discussion earlier about how to address an MEP.
Business of Joint Committee.
Mr. Ó Neachtain, MEP
As member.
Yes. I did not have a clue. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy. He has asked that we would take the general affairs and external relations areas together. There is no problem in doing that. Members have received the usual briefing in advance of the meeting, including the conclusions agreed at the last meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council.
As members will have seen from the agenda I asked that we would include with this item an update on the constitutional treaty. From reading the newspapers it is difficult to know where this stands. A layman might come to the conclusion that the Government is holding tight until we see what will happen in France. That may be the most logical course to take considering that the signs from there are not very positive in terms of the outcome of the poll. I would like to hear what members have to say on the matter. It does not make sense to expend time and resources on something with which one may ultimately not have to deal.
Will the Minister of State indicate if that is the case? Is the Government taking a pragmatic approach to the constitutional treaty? I have heard various Ministers, and the Taoiseach, refer to a possible date for a referendum. The Government is not speaking with one voice on the matter. The position appears to change each time one looks at the television or reads a newspaper. Will the Minister of State clarify if we have taken a decision to wait and see what will happen in France?