Fiscal responsibility bill needed before referendum, says Kenny

The Government will need to publish legislation on fiscal responsibility before it holds the referendum on the European treaty, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said.

Mr Kenny told the Dáil yesterday that no date had been set for the referendum on the treaty, which seeks to tighten budget rules across Europe.

However, he said a number of steps had to be taken before any referendum could take place. These included a referendum bill containing the wording of the question on the ballot paper, and the setting up of a referendum commission.