Paul Andersonlooks ahead to tommorrow's Inter-Governmental Conference in Rome where negotiations on the EU constitution begin.
The Taoiseach joins the leaders of the other 14 European Union member states and ten accession countries in Rome tomorrow to begin talks on the controversial plan to create an EU constitution.
The talks, and consequent media exposure of the issue, will be a welcome relief from a series of domestic issues which have dogged Mr Ahern since the end of the summer.
The Italian presidency hopes a treaty to govern an enlarged EU, which from May will include 25 countries and 450 million people, can be finalised by the end of the year.
However, the signs are that Ireland, which takes up the presidency on January 1st, will be the venue were agreement is finally reached. Though there is no guarantee that discussions on such a controversial and wide-ranging project can be completed by the Irish handover at the end of June.
The basis of the negotiations which formally begin tomorrow will be the draft constitution framed by the 105-member Convention on Europe chaired by former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing.
While much of the draft's text has been accepted by all sides, it took 16 months to frame and there are still areas of substantial disagreement.
There will be limited consideration of foreign and defence policy but tax harmonisation is not up for discussion.
Various countries have refused outright to consider being bound by external forces on issues they feel would irretrievably compromise their sovereignty.
However, a new EU foreign minister would be appointed under the terms of the draft. The appointee would be answerable to the Commission and represent the EU abroad.
The extent of the powers and budget afforded will be hotly contested during the round of Inter-Governmental Conferences, which begin tomorrow.
On defence matters, a general solidarity clause among member states would be supplemented by provision for a common defence policy, which states would not necessarily be obliged to observe.
Ireland, Britain, and Scandinavian countries have all expressed concerns about the issue and will seeking to dilute the proposals.
Another contentious matter is a change to the current system of weighted voting. The draft proposes that policy can be adopted with the support of at least half the member states provided their number represents at least 60 per cent of the EU population.
The draft also proposes cutting the number of full voting members of the European Commission to 15, replacing the current system of one commssioner per member state.
A compromise to satisfy smaller states concerned about loss of influence is to allow 15 non-voting assistant commissioners.
Another potential stumbling block is the proposal that the European Council of EU heads of government, elect a president for a 2-1/2-year term, which could be extended to five years.
EU finance ministers, it is proposed, would elect one of their members as a longer-term chairman, effectively creating a EU prime minister, foreign minster and finance minister. The extent of their powers, rather than the proposal to create the positions will be the key point of disputation.
Whenever, and if, all 25 member states agree the constitution, the text will still need ratified by each country.
Some states will only refer to their parliaments on the issue. However, a number countries, - including Ireland - plan referendums.
Additional reporting: Reuters