London and Dublin under pressure over EU rights opt-out

The outline for a new EU treaty is continuing to cause political waves in some member states, with Ireland and the UK both under pressure for opting out of a wide-ranging citizens' rights charter.

While it was plain Britain was going to do its best to secure a wholesale exclusion from the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Irish premier Bertie Ahern's decision to do the same took trade unions and government coalition partners, the Greens, by surprise.

Mr Ahern took the decision to "re...