Brussels briefing

Kenny and Gilmore tackle ‘must do’ list

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore arrive in Brussels tonight to tackle the biggest single item on the Irish presidency’s list of “must dos” — the Union’s seven-year budget, close to €1 trillion.

They jointly meet commission and parliament presidents to try to sort out what is holding up negotiations. The parliament — with a say in the EU’s budget for the first time — believes the member states are not taking them seriously and cancelled a meeting with the Tánaiste last week.