Cowen: Aspects of Lisbon must be put to referendum

THE Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, has said there are aspects of the Lisbon treaty as it stands presently that would have to be ratified by referendum.

The Taoiseach, speaking in Brussels where he is attending an emergency meeting regarding the situation in Georgia, was responding to suggestions that the Oireachtas could approve the treaty rather than put it to a second referendum.

While he did not entirely rule out a suggestion from a number of quarters that the Oireachtas would approve the treaty rather than put it to a second referendum he did point out “there are aspects of the document that require a referendum”.