IRELAND:Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has targeted May or June for a referendum to ratify the EU reform treaty and has also hinted he may be interested in a plum European job.
Mr Ahern, however, has warned against complacency on a vote that will decide if Ireland can stay centre stage in Europe and which is likely to attract Eurosceptics from all over Europe.
"I think that we can't take anything for granted. We saw in the Nice One referendum and all the money that went into it. There was probably more posters around in Nice One than there was at the last general election."
Mr Ahern said he expected much global attention on Ireland as probably the only state to hold a vote. He was concerned about money coming in to a No campaign from "God knows where", as had occurred in Nice One.
"God knows because no one else has ever been able to find out. That is a concern," he told journalists at the EU summit.
Mr Ahern said his fellow EU leaders had offered their support to come to Ireland to lobby in support of the treaty. German chancellor Angela Merkel is one possible visitor while European Commission president José Manuel Barroso has also told The Irish Times he may visit.
Mr Ahern said a vote for the treaty was a vote for the key issues facing Ireland and Europe.
"It is a vote for climate change, a vote for environmental policies, a vote for the common agricultural policies, a vote for social Europe, that is a vote for the reform treaty," he said.
He refused to contemplate a No vote and pledged that the Government would work hard to get the treaty ratified. He wanted the Irish people to reiterate their strong support for Europe but said the electorate must be treated with respect. His preference was to hold a referendum in May or June but this was complicated by his wish to hold it together with a vote on the rights of the child.
"Quite frankly, when I go around the country there are more people asking me about the children's issue than the reform treaty," said Mr Ahern, who conceded that a delay in being able to organise the children's referendum may force it to be held later.
"My instinct is to have it with the children's referendum, but that may not be possible because the committee on the children's issues is only starting its work in November," he added.
"Their estimate is that three months or so to do their work could bring us to the end of February and then you have to have a referendum Bill for that."
Mr Ahern also refused to dampen growing speculation that he may be interested in one of the two new key jobs created by the new reform treaty. Asked if he would be interested in the new position of president of the European Council, which will chair EU leaders' meetings and represent the union abroad, he said it would be an "interesting job".
"I'm glad that in the minimum changes in the treaty, that that position is still there," said Mr Ahern, who also did not rule out taking up a position as president of the European Commission in 2009. "It would be an interesting job."