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The Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2009[a] is a proposal to amend the Constitution of Ireland in order to enable ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon (also known as the Reform Treaty) of the European Union, following the failure of the previous amendment on 12 June 2008. As part of the enactment of the bill, a referendum is scheduled to be held on 2 October 2009.[1][2]
Polls beginning in January 2009 showed that the global economic crisis had changed the minds of Irish people even more towards the Treaty of Lisbon, with 55% saying they would vote to ratify the the Lisbon Treaty if a new referendum were held, while only 37% would vote against.[3][4] Later in the month, 58% were in favour to 28% against.[5] A poll from April 2009 saw 54% in favour and 24% against.[6] Polls from May 2009 saw 52% in favour and 29% against, and later 54% in favour and 28% against.[7][8]
[edit] Background
A 1987 decision of the Supreme Court established that ratification by Ireland of any significant amendment to the Treaties of the European Union requires an amendment to the Constitution of Ireland.[9] All Constitutional amendments require approval by referendum.
A referendum on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe of the European Union was expected to be held in 2005 or 2006 but was cancelled following the rejection of the Constitution by voters in France in May 2005 and in the Netherlands in June 2005. The Treaty of Lisbon represents the European-wide political compromise that was agreed upon in the wake of the rejection of the Constitution. It preserves most of the content of the Constitution, especially the new rules on the functioning of the European Institutions , but gives up any symbolic or terminologic reference to a Constitution. (See Treaty of Lisbon compared to the European Constitution.)
Ireland is the only EU member state that has held a public referendum on the Treaty. Ratification of the Treaty in all other member states is decided upon by the states' national parliaments. The referendum is part of the larger EU ratification of the Treaty, which requires that all EU members, and the European Parliament must ratify it. A "No" vote in the referendum could block the treaty in the EU altogether. However, the Treaty of Nice was ratified by Ireland in 2002 in a second referendum after the first vote rejected it by a narrow margin in 2001.
[edit] 2008 referendum
[edit] Opinion polls
| Date of opinion poll |
Conductor |
Sample size |
In favour |
Against |
Undecided |
| 28 May 2009[8] |
TNS/mrbi |
2,000 |
54% |
28% |
18% |
| 13 May 2009[7] |
TNS/mrbi |
2,000 |
52% |
29% |
19% |
| 25 April 2009[6] |
Quantum Research |
500 |
54% |
24% |
22% |
| 28 January 2009[5] |
Post/Red C |
1,001 |
58% |
28% |
14% |
| 23 January 2009[4] |
Lansdowne |
1,000 |
58% |
29% |
12% |
| 20 January 2009[3] |
Quantum Research |
500 |
55% |
37% |
8% |
a Though the 2008 Lisbon Bill was also called the 28th amendment, the Government's bill for 2009 uses the same number, as no other amendments passed in the intervening time.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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