Martin to lobby EU for support on Lisbon demands

FOREIGN affairs Minister Micheál Martin will lobby his EU colleagues today to ensure they support Ireland’s demands for legally binding guarantees on neutrality, tax and abortion.

A number of countries, led by Britain, are concerned about giving Ireland protocols on the three issues as part of the deal for Ireland putting the Lisbon treaty to a second referendum.

They are pushing for an undertaking by the EU leaders on the issues but the Irish Government has said it wants protocols – the most water-tight form of guarantees.