The Government is not negotiating to avoid a referendum, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore told an Oireachtas committee today.
Such an approach would be “seriously wrongheaded”, Mr Gilmore said.
“This is a distraction from the real and important issues at play,” he said. “Such an approach would be a grave disservice to Ireland’s interests and to our partners in the common currency.”
He told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs that the most recent draft of the Treaty on Stability, Co-Ordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union was delivered to the Government last night.
The intergovernmental treaty, which is being negotiated by representatives of all EU members apart from the UK, is Europe’s latest attempt to ensure the stability of the euro and of European economies.
Mr Gilmore said the Government would continue to work to ensure that Ireland’s interests were reflected “so that we are in a position to ratify the treaty when agreed”.
He added: “This includes putting it to the people in a referendum if necessary."
The Tánaiste also said the only deal that the Government would sign up to was one that was good for Ireland.
The Government would await the advice of the Attorney General, Maire Whelan SC, in relation to a referendum when the treaty was finalised. “It is only when a final text is available that it will be possible to reach a view on what will be required,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister for European Affairs Minister Lucinda Creighton said today it is "urgent" that shortcomings of the euro area are addressed. The establishment of the monetary union failed to incorporate fiscal transfers and "effective mechanism to enforce fiscal discipline," Ms Creighton said.
"We have a currency without an economic infrastructure or many of the supports which more established currencies have, including for instance, a lender of last resort."
