EU reforms may not require new treaty, says EC president

The European Council president has stated that a resolution to the eurozone debt crisis can be achieved without changing EU treaties.

In a leaked report, Herman Van Rompuy said that tougher fiscal reforms can be drawn up by just amending a protocol attached to the Lisbon Treaty.

It was speculated that implementing greater EU control of country's financial budgets may require treaty change, which would necessitate a constitutional referendum in Ireland.

European leaders will gather in Brussels tomorrow for the start of a crucial two-day meeting, regarded by many as a summit to save the euro.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny, speaking in the Dáil this morning, said that the outcome of the meeting is unpredictable.

However Mr Kenny said that it is important that political decisions that bring certainty to the economic situation are made.

"What I would like to see here is a decision, or series of decisions, made, that provide economic confidence to the eurozone, following this meeting," he said.

"In other words, that you provide this firewall which will deal with any issues of contagion or whatever else."