DUBLIN: The fate of the euro zone is once again in the hands of Irish
voters after Ireland's attorney-general recommended that a referendum
be held on the EU's latest fiscal compact treaty.
The Irish prime minister, Enda Kenny, told parliament
that, on the advice of the republic's chief law officer, ''on balance'' a
referendum should be held.
The Taoiseach said he and his deputy prime minister,
Eamon Gilmore, were confident the Irish people would endorse the EU
treaty as it was in the country's interest.
The agreement is the linchpin of a German-led plan to impose budget
discipline across the EU, especially the 17-nation euro zone, which is
dealing with a stubborn debt crisis that has rocked the region's
economy.
Mr Kenny is expected to fight for concessions from
Brussels on the terms of Ireland's far reaching euro bailout as the
price for heading off a potentially embarrassing electoral rejection of
the ''fiscal compact''.
Ireland, which has twice rejected EU treaties, must hold a
referendum on any international treaty that has an impact on the
country's sovereignty. Arrangements for organising the referendum would
be made in a few weeks, Mr Kenny told the parliament.
Mr Gilmore said the referendum would come down to a vote for Ireland's economic stability and recovery.
Irish voters threw the entire EU reform program into
chaos when they first rejected the Lisbon treaty, although after a
series of amendments the republic's electorate later endorsed a second
treaty.
With more than 14 per cent of the Irish workforce
unemployed, there are fears within the Fine Gael-Labour coalition in
Dublin that voters might use the next referendum to punish the
government over its domestic policies, such as the continuing
cost-cutting austerity program and the continued recession.
Mr Gilmore, Irish Labour leader, urged a ''yes'' vote in
the EU fiscal compact referendum, saying it was necessary to secure the
republic's recovery.
Guardian News & Media, Los Angeles Times
