The Government is to put at least three constitutional amendments to the people in referendums expected to take place on one day later this year. However, the abortion issue, if a decision is taken on it, will be put separately.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, along with representatives from the 14 other EU member-states, signed the Nice Treaty yesterday at a ceremony in the French city. The treaty changes the institutional landscape of the EU, abolishing national vetoes in a number of policy areas.
The text of the treaty is currently undergoing legal review on whether a referendum is necessary, but the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has said he expects one will be held later this year.
Ratification of the Nice Treaty, the International Criminal Court at the Hague and the judicial council proposal, which deals with the conduct of judges, are expected to be among the questions put. Another under consideration for inclusion is the deletion from the Constitution of the death penalty.
Mr Ahern said in the Dail recently he had given a commitment last year not to hold an abortion referendum on the same day other matters were being decided. Abortion "ought to be treated as a discrete item".
The report of the all-party committee on abortion was still being considered by the Cabinet committee, which had met just twice so far. "It is working from the report of the all-party committee and will endeavour to see if it can frame legislation.
"We will not move on this issue until the Government can frame an amendment with legislation," he said. "I am not interested in a referendum for its own sake or one that will create division."
How many items could be put in a referendum were under consideration, the Taoiseach said. There was the Nice Treaty, the International Criminal Court at the Hague and the all-party committee report on the judicial council, which had long been finished.
"We will have to decide how many items can be put. There are three definite items and two or three others which have been listed as priorities. It is possible that four or five items will be put in the referendum. We have yet to make a decision on that."