Cowen says public will not vote on treaty change

THE EU Treaties will be amended to allow member states to bail out one another, but it almost certainly won’t be put to a referendum in Ireland, Taoiseach Brian Cowen has said.

EU leaders at a two-day summit in Brussels having agreed the two-sentence addition tried very hard not to say anything that might increase markets fears about the euro.

As they met behind closed doors last night, there was little doubt the permanent fund they are setting up for post-2013 and the ongoing crisis would take centre stage.