Dublin remains coy over Lisbon referendum date

Irish minister for foreign affairs, Micheal Martin, refused on Thursday (19 March) to rule out the possibility of an early referendum on the Lisbon treaty, saying only that the government will stick to the timeline agreed at a summit of EU leaders last December.

"The government has not formally made a decision on the date of the referendum," he said.

Under the December deal, Irish prime minister Brian Cowan agreed to hold a second referendum on the treaty before the term of the ...