Irish voters will have their say on the European Union fiscal treaty after the Dublin authorities reluctantly announced a referendum yesterday.
The Irish coalition Government's announcement followed advice from the Attorney-General.
Ministers will now be campaigning strongly for an endorsement of the treaty and hoping things go to plan, acutelyaware that previous referendums have produced results which the authorities did not hope for or expect. Voters rejected the Lisbon Treaty in 2008 before passing it at the second time of asking a year later.
A distinct strain of anti-European sentiment is obvious in the Irish Republic where the bailout from the EU and other institutions has produced resentment about the strict austerity measures which accompanied it.
A signing ceremony for the fiscal compact is expected to go ahead on Saturday at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels despite the announcement. Some 25 countries will sign up - all the EU nations except Britain and the Czech Republic. David Cameron, who vetoed an EU-wide treaty in December, will arrive late for the session so that he will not witness the ceremony.
Irish ministers maintain they are confident of winning the vote, which could take place in May. But European sources have openly said that Dublin lobbied for treaty wording that would make a referendum unnecessary.
Although the Government has a solid majority, the Irish Labour Party, the junior partners in the coalition, slipped in a recent poll. Support rose significantly for Sinn Fein, whose anti-Europe stance means it will campaign for a No vote.
