Lisbon Is 'Significant Challenge'

The Minister for Foreign Affairs has today admitted the Government faces a "significant challenge" to get the Lisbon Treaty ratified in the upcoming October 2nd vote.

Responding to the latest Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll showing that support for the treaty has declined over the summer, Micheál Martin TD said he was never under any illusion about the ease of passage for the referendum, and admitted it would be "difficult to secure".

Despite the Ministers tentativeness, the Yes side is still in the lead with four weeks to go to the referendum, and support continues to increase.

According to the poll, 46% would vote Yes, a drop of eight points since the last Irish Times poll in May, while 29% say they would vote No, an increase of one point.

The number of people in the Don’t Know category has increased by seven points to 25%.

Meanwhile, a number of high profile supporters have stepped into the fray, pushing for voters to say 'Yes' in the second referendum that will ratify the Lisbon alterations to the European Union.

Budget airline Ryanair has lent it's support with a "Yes to Europe" campaign, while one of Ireland's largest unions SIPTU has recommended its members vote despite "harbouring a number of reservations regarding the Treaty".

Yesterday, the The European Commission launched a guide to the Lisbon Treaty to be distributed throughout the State ahead of next month's referendum.

Secretary-General of the European Commission, Catherine Day, presented the document 'Your guide to the Lisbon Treaty' at a launch day in Dublin.

Ms Day, who is the most senior Irishwoman official of the European Commission, said: "We have produced this simple guide in response to the clear demand for information not just in Ireland but in all the Member States.

"It's available in every EU language including Irish. I very much hope that this easy guide to the Treaty will help Irish people make up their minds on the important question they must answer on the 2nd of October".

Up to 70,000 copies of the guide will be distributed to public libraries, various public offices and the political parties in the coming days.

It is also available on the Representation's website www.euireland.ie under Lisbon downloads.

(DW/BMcc)