Ireland now in favour of the Treaty of Lisbon

The Irish Times comments on the results of a survey indicating that 51 percent of Irish would now vote in favour of the Treaty of Lisbon: "The dramatically changed national and international economic and political circumstances since last September have clearly convinced most voters it is better to be fully part of the European Union, by a margin of 80 to 13 per cent according to this poll. In this light there is a strengthening case to hold the referendum sooner, either in April or together with the [European] elections in June. There should now be a sharply focused political debate on when to vote again on Lisbon, taking full account of heightened public awareness about its crucial importance for Ireland's and Europe's future. The European dimension is a central reality of the current economic crisis. ... The EU's future efficacy in world political and economic affairs is now widely believed to depend on implementing the treaty."

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