Le Conseil de l’UE s’accorde pour un second référendum irlandais

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen acknowledged the "spirit of solidarity" shown to Ireland during negotiations on the deal and paid tribute to UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, with whom he said he has an excellent relationship. 

"We came here with two aims. Ireland wanted firm legal guarantees. We got them. We wanted a commitment to a protocol. We got that," he told reporters. 

He said the guarantees make it "crystal clear" that Ireland will keep its commissioner and retain control over its tax rates. It has also been spelled out that Ireland's policy of military neutrality and constitutional protections on the right to life, education and the family are not affected by the treaty, he said. 

This, he added, would put an end to "scares, myths and misinformation which marred last year's campaign". 

"Now we have agreement that legally-binding guarantees will be incorporated into a protocol to be attached to the EU treaties after the entry into force of Lisbon," he said.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown stressed that the agreed protocol was "specific to Ireland". 

"The protocol status is no different from any other clarifications in other states," he said. 

Germany said the deal satisfies Ireland's political needs and should lead to a second referendum. 

"We cleared the way for a second referendum in Ireland, providing guarantees which have a great importance to Ireland on issues like taxation, family and defence policy," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel. 

"We have moved further to the finishing line when it comes to the Lisbon Treaty," said Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany's foreign minister. 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said there is no need for member states to re-ratify the treaty and the next step is for Ireland to hold a second referendum. 

Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer said the guarantees are an explanatory text which does not change "a word or a comma" of the Lisbon Treaty itself. 

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso welcomed the deal, which he said should satisfy Ireland's needs. 

Andrew Duff, spokesperson on constitutional affairs for the ALDE group in the European Parliament, said the compromise paves the way for a "self-confident, united and successful" campaign by pro-treaty parties in Ireland. 

"The Irish government has done well to craft interpretations of the Lisbon Treaty which are specific to the Irish case and which will not affect its interpretation in other states. The substance of the original treaty contract is untouched. But Ireland has got what it needs to clarify the meaning of the treaty so that its second referendum will be free from the distortions and confusion which marked the first referendum campaign," he said. 

However, not all commentators were impressed by the agreement. 

Former Danish MEP Jens-Peter Bonde said the Irish had "arranged a drama" with the Council presidency and British delegation by leaking a confidential letter from the Irish Prime Minister to other leaders. 

"The British played their role to perfection," he said, adding that the negotiations could have been concluded on the first day but EU leaders deliberately sought to present the public with the impression that Ireland had won concessions. 

"There is no content in the so-called Irish assurances modifying the treaties. It is the opposite, indeed it is explicitly stated that all provisions are in conformity with the treaties," he said. 

Newly-elected Irish Socialist MEP Joe Higgins, who is likely to be a high-profile figure in the second referendum campaign, said the EU summit was an "elaborate charade" meant to distract attention away from the key issues. 

"The debate on the Lisbon Treaty has yet to be held because we've been dealing with side issues. The fundamentals have still to be debated," he said. 

Former Irish Green MEP Patrician McKenna, who is no longer a member of Ireland's Green Party, said the public would be asked to vote on the same treaty it rejected last year. 

"The reason why people voted 'No' to the Lisbon Treaty have not been addressed, have not been rectified and for that reason, once that message gets across to people, I don't think they are going to change their vote," said McKenna, who now chairs the People's Movement.