Second referendum could happen, says expert

It was unclear today whether Ireland can hold another referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in the future.

The first Nice Treaty was rejected in 2001 but the Irish electorate approved it a year later when clauses protecting Irish neutrality were clarified.

Elections expert Professor Matt Qvortrup, who has studied dozens of referendums across Europe, said any changes to the current Lisbon text could trigger another national vote in Ireland.

Ireland is the only EU member state holding a referendum on the charter but half-a-dozen other countries including Britain and France have yet to ratify it through their parliaments.

"The current legal position is that if any one member state rejects the Treaty then it falls," said the Scotland-based professor, who attended today's count in Dublin.

"However a precedent was set with the Nice Treaty in 2002 when it was put before the Irish people again following small changes.

"If every other member state ratifies the Treaty except the Irish, then the European Commission may allow Ireland to go back to the drawing board and Irish voters may get a second bite of the cherry."

Prof Qvortrup said Irish law was changed in the 1980s so that any changes to a European Treaty would require approval by a referendum.

Reacting to the No vote, Irish opposition leader Enda Kenny appeared to rule out another national vote.

"As I understand it, there will not be a second offering in this case," he said.

Mr Kenny, who is a vice-president of the European People's Party (EPP), added: "The EU governments have to look at the decision made today by Irish voters and decide how best to move forward."