Support for Lisbon increases to 54% in poll

SUPPORT for the Lisbon treaty has further increased, with all signs being that the Government will ratify the document in a second referendum later this year despite its own unpopularity.

The first referendum last June saw the public throwing the EU into disarray when rejecting the treaty by 53.4% to 46.6%.

But, in recent months, there has been a massive swing in favour of the treaty, with the economic crisis seemingly persuading many voters that Ireland needs to maintain its relationship with Europe.