The Government will be “cautious” about agreeing to changes in EU treaties to accommodate the UK, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has told his Cabinet colleagues.
Mr Kenny briefed the Cabinet yesterday on the implications for Ireland of the election outcome in the UK.
A Government spokesman said the Taoiseach told his colleagues that the Government was awaiting specific proposals in the light of the commitment by British prime minister David Cameron to hold a referendum on EU membership by 2017.
The spokesman said Mr Kenny had emphasised that it would not be in this country’s interests to see Britain leave the EU and that we would be as “constructive and flexible” as possible in helping the negotiations to reach a positive conclusion.
Mr Kenny added, however, that in general he would be “cautious” about treaty changes, but it was far too early to speculate about what the outcome would be.
In relation to the implications for Northern Ireland of the election, the Taoiseach told the Cabinet that his focus and that of Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan would remain on the implementation of the Stormont House agreement.
The Government spokesman said Mr Kenny had noted Sinn Féin’s continued unwillingness to implement the deal done on welfare reform.
He noted that a number of meetings, including the North South Ministerial Council, the British Irish Council and the European Council, were due to take place before the end of next month.
The challenge posed by the UK’s attempt to renegotiate the terms of its EU membership has also been raised by Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness, who is a vice-president of the European Parliament.
“That referendum may take place next year, rather than in 2017, and there is even the possibility that it could take place by the end of this year,” Ms McGuinness told a seminar in Brussels.
“What is now clear is that a referendum will take place and it will be sooner rather than later, which means there can be no treaty change, as such, because the time frame is too tight.”
The MEP added that it was less clear what exactly Mr Cameron would put on the table and how he would negotiate with other member states.
‘Leave regardless’
“There are politicians in the UK who will not be satisfied with any changes negotiated and want the UK to leave the EU regardless.”
Ms McGuinness said there were also deep divisions within the Conservative Party which Mr Cameron would have to deal with when it comes to campaigning in a future referendum.
She said that while the UK’s relationship with the EU had always been “distant”, there was an opportunity for the people of the UK to discuss the importance of the EU and its clear benefits for the UK.
“The referendum must involve everyone. The outcome has implications for all member states and in particular Ireland given our close physical and long historical relationship with the UK.”
