Ahern on Scandinavian tour

The Taoiseach is on a whistle-stop tour of two Scandinavian countries today.

Bertie Ahern is to meet his Finnish and Swedish counterparts to get their backing for a clause in the Nice Treaty backing Irish neutrality.

The Government is viewing next week’s EU summit in the Spanish city of Seville as crucial, with Mr Ahern hoping that leaders will agree on the wording of the declaration which can be attached to the Treaty before it’s put to the people in a second referendum in the autumn.

The Taoiseach will also use today’s meetings to improve bi-lateral arrangements between Ireland and the two Nordic countries.