Six changes if Irish voters ratify treaty

THESE are six main areas where the Referendum Commission say there will be changes to how the EU makes decisions if Irish voters ratify the Lisbon treaty.

* The European Parliament would have joint power over some areas where it currently does not have power, such as agriculture and the entire EU budget, where decisions are presently made by the Council of Ministers alone. The changes will give a role to the parliament in approving laws in those areas.

* Some decisions, which currently must be taken unanimously, would be taken by a qualified majority vote. The number of decisions dealt with by a qualified majority vote is being extended. The principal areas where qualified majority voting would occur would be in energy, asylum, immigration from outside the EU, judicial co-operation and sport (Ireland can decide to opt out of areas like asylum and immigration). Ireland will no longer be able to veto in those areas, but we will not have to comply with the new laws unless we choose to.