Government to hold Nice referendum in October

Legislation to give effect to the Nice Treaty is to be published next week by the Coalition Government and a new referendum will be held in October.

The precise nature of the referendum legislation, which will focus on a Declaration of military neutrality, will be decided by the reaction of the EU Heads of Government to proposals made by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, at the Seville Summit.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, told the Dáil last night the Declaration being sought would provide assurances that the Nice Treaty posed no threat to our traditional policy of military neutrality; that there were no plans to participate in the development of a European army; and that there would be no change to the basis on which Irish troops engaged in peacekeeping and conflict prevention operations.

The latter operations would, he said, operate under the "triple-lock of UN endorsement, Government decision and Dáil approval."

Ireland would ask her European partners to confirm that the understandings in the National Declaration were shared by all 15 EU States.

If the referendum was carried, he said, the National Declaration would be lodged with the instrument of ratification.

Mr Ahern secured Cabinet agreement for the terms of the Irish Declaration in relation to the Nice Treaty, last Tuesday.

The Government Chief Whip, Ms Mary Hanafin, said yesterday the Dáil will rise next week, following publication of the Nice referendum legislation. It will return for two weeks in early September to fully debate the measure.

A further Dáil adjournment will follow passage of the legislation and the referendum will be held, following intensive canvassing, in mid-to-late October.

Once the Referendum Bill has been introduced to the Dáil next week, the Government will re-establish the Referendum Commission in order to address the issue of public information on the legislation, Ms Hanafin said.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party called on the Government to hold a referendum on Irish neutrality in conjunction with the Nice Treaty and to reactive a Labour Party, European Union Bill in the Dail which would approve Government negotiating positions before Ministers went to Europe.

Disagreements exist within the Parliamentary Labour Party over the Nice Treaty, with a number of members urging opposition because of the result of the last referendum.

Discussion on the issue will continue next week.