Taoiseach calls Cabinet meeting to discuss Brexit talks

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has called a Cabinet meeting for Thursday morning ahead of a European Council summit to discuss Brexit.

Mr Kenny said he hoped the proposals being put forward by British prime minister David Cameron would be decided at the meeting on Thursday.

He said the Cabinet would meet to discuss the four issues being put forward by Mr Cameron.

Speaking in Co Offaly, the Taoiseach said he wanted Britain to remain a central part of the European Union.

Mr Kenny said Ireland and Britain share strong trade connections and he hoped that would continue.

Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton denied the jobs targets put forward by Fine Gael would change if the British people voted against remaining a member of the EU.

Mr Cameron has agreed to call an emergency cabinet meeting on Friday if he secures a renegotiation deal at this week’s European Union summit in Brussels.

The move is an important concession to eurosceptics in his Conservative Party, because it will allow cabinet ministers to immediately speak out in favour of leaving the EU.

Eurosceptics feared the prime minister would wait until next Tuesday’s regular cabinet meeting to lift collective responsibility, giving himself a full weekend to trumpet his renegotiation deal while sceptical cabinet colleagues would remain muzzled.

The decision reflects a growing confidence in London that the summit will produce an agreement, although foreign secretary Philip Hammond said he expected negotiations to continue "to the wire".

European Council president Donald Tusk is embarking on a frantic round of meetings in advance of Thursday's summit, focusing especially on central and eastern European member states.

Those governments are seeking assurances that, if Britain wins the right to impose temporary restrictions on welfare payments for EU migrants, other EU governments might follow suit.

One proposal under consideration is to allow only those countries that did not exercise their option to delay giving full free movement rights to citizens of the newer member states would be allowed to impose restrictions.

Only three countries fall into that category: Britain, Ireland and Sweden.

EU leaders are due to start discussing the British renegotiation at the start of the summit on Thursday afternoon, continuing over dinner. If the deal is agreed, Mr Cameron is expected to name the date of the referendum on Friday, with June 23rd the most likely date.

Although opinion polls suggest that the referendum is too close to call, with some showing the Leave side ahead, those who want to remain in the EU have a number of advantages. Chief among these is likely to be the central role in the campaign of Mr Cameron himself, with polls consistently showing that he can sway many wavering voters.