Treaty aims for justice reforms

JUSTICE and home affairs have hardly registered in the debate on the Lisbon referendum despite huge reservations raised by the Government during the treaty’s negotiations.

This is largely due to the decision of Ireland and Britain to fight for an opt-out clause on the most controversial new judicial measures.

The Government’s recent white paper on the treaty said it remains one of the few areas in the Lisbon agreement where significant additional issues have been included on top of the ill-fated constitution published in Dublin four years ago.