The Irish Ask Another Brussels Question

And, as we know, Brussels has a habit of changing the answer any time anyone offers the wrong inconvenient answer. Nevertheless, the Irish government’s decision – made on the advice of the Attorney General – to hold a referendum on the latest EU “Stability Pact” is not, I hazard, likely to please everyone:

“I am very confident that when the importance and merit are communicated to the Irish people that they will endorse it emphatically by voting yes to continuing economic stability and recovery,” the Taoiseach [Enda Kenny] said.

The compact, agreed at special EU summit earlier this month, proposes tough new budgetary discipline on each euro zone state, including near-zero public deficits. It has already been approved by 25 of the EU’s 27 members.

Mr Kenny has previously denied it will condemn the State to further years of austerity.

“In the end what this will come down to is a vote for economic growth and stability,” Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said.