Drafting of treaty will attempt to avoid referendum

EU member states’ lawyers will immediately begin work on a new treaty with an eye to ensuring it does not trigger a referendum in any country.

Already, the leaders have watered down the involvement of the European Court of Justice in governments’ budgets as this would almost certainly mean the Irish Government going to the country.

However, Taoiseach Enda Kenny would not be drawn on the issue, saying it would be up to the Attorney General to advise on the issue. He said the substance rather than the process of implementation “was paramount”, but that interference with corporation tax was a “red line” for him.