EU Council Stem cell vote deferred
The Tanáiste Mary Harney has said she is optimistic there can be agreement on funding stem cell research, despite the decision to delay the vote.
Speaking in Brussels, Ms Harney said discussions would continue at official level over the next week to find ways of strengthening the guidelines proposed by the European Commission.
Even though the Commission has agreed to the delay, it still insists the moratorium on stem cell research funding will elapse by the end of the year.
European Parliament president Pat Cox has backed the Irish government's position on the issue.
Mr Cox, who is on a visit to Dublin, described it as a difficult issue and warned that the Council could still block the measure.
Treacy 'acting on behalf of Govt'
The Taoiseach earlier told the Dáil that former Minister of State Noel Treacy was acting on behalf of the Government when he agreed to a proposal for €16bn in EU funding for a broad 'human genomes' programme.
That programme included the €1.1bn in controversial funding for embryonic stem cell research.
Mr Ahern had said that the issue for the Tánaiste today in Brussels was whether or not that research should go ahead without the proper guidelines in place.
Ms Harney was due to vote in favour of the plan at today's meeting of the Council of Ministers.
Asked why he had by-passed the house on the issue by the FG leader Enda Kenny, Mr Ahern said that the issue was not a matter for the Dáil.
Earlier, the Tánaiste denied that she acted unilaterally in approving funding for stem cell research.
Mary Harney was commenting on RTÉ's Morning Ireland about a claim made last night by the Fianna Fáil backbencher, Batt O'Keeffe.
Mr O'Keeffe claimed that Ms Harney had approved Government backing for €1bn of EU funds for research involving human embryos, suggesting that the Tánaiste had gone on a solo run when she endorsed EU spending in the area.
However, according to a Government spokesman, this claim was mischievous and false.
Last night, speakers at a meeting of the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party expressed reservations about Government support for the research.
A number of countries were expected to vote against the European Commission proposals to allow EU funding to resume on stem cell research.
