Dick Roche: Irish Minister Calls for Repeat of Lisbon Treaty Referendum

Ireland's Europe minister yesterday said Dublin should hold a second referendum to try to ratify the Lisbon treaty - the first time a cabinet minister has openly backed such a move.

The minister for European affairs, Dick Roche, said it was his personal opinion that the Dublin government should go back to voters a second time, following the resounding no vote in a June plebiscite.

Roche told Irish radio yesterday morning that in his view Ireland had to remain at the heart of the EU. That meant having to go back and persuade the Irish people of Lisbon's benefits, he said.

"My personal view is that a referendum is the appropriate response to the position we are in," Roche said. "This is very much a personal view at this stage."

The official line from Dublin until now has been that it is still too early to say if Ireland would hold another vote on the treaty meant to replace the earlier EU constitution, which was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

One of the organizations credited with securing last June's no vote, the pro-free market Libertas group, accused the minister of "kite flying" last night.

Naoise Nunn, Libertas' executive director, said: "It's the season for flying kites. First [Nicolas] Sarkozy was at it when he was here and now Dick Roche is at it. They are trying to test the wind to see if they can run this referendum again even though the Irish people have already spoken.

"In the end it doesn't matter because holding a referendum would be political suicide for this government. All the polls since June show that if the referendum was rerun an even larger majority would vote no.

"The Irish people's voice should be respected, and if it isn't the government will face a greater humiliation next time around."

Ireland's foreign minister, Micheál Martin, said last month Ireland would give the EU clarity on the way forward by a December summit. Yesterday an Irish government spokesman played down Roche's remarks, pointing out that no final decision is close on whether or not to hold a second vote.

Roche has warned however that all 26 other member states were likely to have ratified the treaty by the end of the year, which would leave Ireland in an isolated position.