Taoiseach briefs Europe Forum on constitution

The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has told the Forum on Europe in Dublin that all sides were genuinely committed to reaching agreement on the proposed EU constitution.

Mr Ahern said the European Council of Ministers had expressed its wish that agreement on the document be reached before a meeting of the council in June.

However, he added that a number of sticking points remained, particularly in relation to the allocation of commissioners in an enlarged EU.

Mr Ahern also said the fact that new prime ministers had recently come to power in five member states had complicated negotiations.