EU think-tank boss meets Ahern

The chairman of the Convention on the Future of Europe is due to meet the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, in Dublin later today.

Valery Giscard d'Estaing, a former French President, is expected to brief Mr Ahern about the work of the Convention.

The Convention is currently devising a single EU treaty to replace all existing treaties.

The first 16 articles of the draft document have already been published and parties to the negotiations have tabled more than 1,200 proposed amendments, including objections to the concept of a federal Europe and the lack of reference to God.