EU leaders are gathering in Brussels for a summit which will see details of a fiscal treaty finalised.

Irish officials are said to be growing more confident that the final text of the document will allow the government to avoid the prospect of a referendum on the new rules.

Meanwhile unemployment in the European Union will also be on the agenda at the talks.

Politicians are having to fly into an airfield outside the city to avoid transport problems posed by a general strike that has hit the Belgian capital.

Newstalk reporter Shona Murray has the latest from Brussels.

“This afternoon’s summit will mainly focus on jobs and unemployment” she said.

“Eurozone unemployment is at 10.3 percent; and in the European Union across the board it’s about 9.5 percent”.

“But in relation to the fiscal compact, the decision has been made that rules under the fiscal compact should enter into force by the end of this year – or by when 12 Eurozone members ratify it” she added.

The Minister for Health says the government is not afraid to hold a referendum on a new fiscal pact to resolve the Eurozone crisis.

James Reilly was commenting as EU leaders meet this afternoon to finalise the details of the new pact.

The government is anxious to avoid putting the new agreement to a referendum in Ireland.

The text of the treaty has been altered to accommodate Irish concerns.

Minister Reilly says if a referendum is legally required – then there will be one:

“This government is a government of reform – it will do what is legal, it will do what is necessary to get this country back on its feet” he said.

“We don’t fear anything”.

“We will face up to the responsibilities that the people have given us to put this country back on its feet” he added.

The government has unveiled plans to allow 750 graduates convert their skills into information and communications technology (ICT) in new free courses.

An action plan also hopes to double the number of ICT graduates to 2,000 a year by 2018.

The courses start from next month.

Unemployed people can take part and keep their benefits.

Under the plans everyone is guaranteed 3 months work experience.

Applications for courses can be made on www.bluebrick.ie

Education and Skills Minister Ruairi Quinn says there are currently 1,000 ICT jobs out there waiting to be filled.

“We’ve been getting a very clear message from industry that there are ICT skill shortages – and more importantly, that jobs can be created if we have the graduates to fill them” he said.

“In a highly mobile and global sector, inward migration by skilled professionals will always play a key role in meeting the skill needs of companies”.

“However, booting the domestic supply of graduates for the 21st century jobs must be a key objective for our education system” he added.

A murder investigation is continuing after a woman’s body was found in a suitcase in the capital.

The discovery was made on Blackhorse Avenue yesterday morning.

Investigating officers are examining CCTV footage to determine when the body was dumped on the street.

It is believed the victim was strangled or suffocated the day before.

Security editor with the Irish Independent is Tom Brady.

He says she has now been identified but her relatives have not yet been contacted.

“Gardai believe it’s a woman from Malawi” he said.

“(They believe) that she had been living here for a couple of years, she’s a student and she had been living in the Rathmines area”.

“They have to have positive confirmation of that identity – but that’s who they believe it is” he added.

He says the bag was on the street for some time before the grim discovery was made by a passer-by.

“It was left out near bits of refuse – it may have been abandoned there” he continued.

“It wasn’t discovered until…8:30 yesterday morning when a passer-by noticed it and took a look inside and immediately notified the gardai”.

“It emerged in subsequent door to door inquiries other people living in the locality had noticed it the previous night – as early as 7 o’clock on Saturday”.

“It may even have been left there earlier” he added.

The chief executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland has waived his bonus.

Stephen Hester had been in line to receive over €1 million.

Newstalk’s Jack Quann has more.