Cowen warns Irish voters could face another treaty referendum

IRISH voters could be forced to go to the polls in yet another EU referendum on a strengthening of eurozone rules in the wake of the Greek crisis.

Less than a year after a second vote on the Lisbon treaty, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said the prospect of more treaty changes is being put forward by Germany and other countries in discussions on how to avoid a repeat of the situation in Greece.

German chancellor Angela Merkel has made clear the package to help Greece by the other 15 members of the eurozone was a one-off, and changes to the EU rules were needed to prevent it from happening again.