Ireland EU treaty referendum on October 2

Ireland will hold a second referendum on the European Union's Lisbon reform treaty on October 2, Prime Minister Brian Cowen said today.

Cowen won legal guarantees from his EU partners last month to address concerns of voters who last June opposed the treaty, designed to streamline EU decision-making and give the 27-nation bloc a greater say in world affairs.

"I believe these concerns have been addressed now in the shape of the legal guarantees," Cowen told parliament.

"On that basis, I recommended to the government that we return to the people to seek their approval for Ireland to ratify the treaty and that referendum will take place on October 2."