All eyes on Ireland for October 2 polls

Ireland, which two years ago rejected the Lisbon Treaty in a referendum plunging the EU into a stalemate, will once again go to the polls on October 2.

Speaking in the Irish Parliament, Prime Minister Brian Cowen confirmed that the Lisbon Treaty referendum will take place on Friday, October 2, as legislation to allow it go ahead passed all stages in the Dail.

The second Irish referendum will be held following new guarantees given to Ireland by the EU which will also affect Malta positively.

They include the right of every member state to retain a Commissioner on the EU executive.

If the referendum is approved, Malta will also gain another seat in the European Parliament, to be filled by Labour candidate Joseph Cuschieri, the runner-up in last June's EP election.

Announcing the date of the second referendum, Mr Cowen said that Ireland had secured the guarantees required on tax, neutrality and ethical issues.

"These will become part of the treaties by means of a protocol.

"The EU reaffirmed the importance of workers' rights and public services.

"We reached agreement that each member state would retain a commissioner."

Minister for Foreign Affairs Michael Martin said: "If we want to have legally binding agreements on the right to life, the protection of the family, taxation and our traditional policy of military neutrality, and if we want to retain our commissioner, we should move to ratify the treaty.

"Without the Lisbon Treaty, we will have no automatic right to a commissioner and no legal guarantees," he said.

All Irish political parties will be running a yes campaign for this referendum.

Ireland is the only member state holding a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

All the other member states, including Malta, approved the Treaty through Parliamentary procedure. The Czech Republic and Poland still have to finalise their ratification.

The new Treaty is expected to enter into force at the beginning of next year.