EU constitution talks top priority of Irish presidency

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern said restarting talks on a first-ever constitution would be his top priority during Ireland’s six-month EU presidency.

Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg yesterday, Mr Ahern pledged the Irish presidency would “spare no effort to make progress and to facilitate consensus” among EU governments on the draft charter.

Talks on the constitution collapsed in December, when two of the largest members, Germany and France, clashed with smaller states, led by Spain and Poland, about their future voting strength in the expanding union.