Ierse regering: na EU-grondwet geen referenda meer over Europa (en) - Main contents

The Irish government is considering amending the national constitution to allow for major future changes to EU rules to be made without a referendum, according to a report in The Irish Times on Friday.

To date Ireland has had several referendums on the EU treaties - including on EU entry in 1972, on the Single European Act, on The Treaty of Maastricht (paving the way to the euro) and the Treaty of Amsterdam.

In 2001, the small island famously rejected the Nice Treaty but approved it when asked the same question in a second vote the following year.

Currently, the Irish constitution says there must be a referendum if the charter is to be amended.

"Every proposal for an amendment of this Constitution shall be initiated in Dáil Éireann as a Bill, and shall upon having been passed or deemed to have been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, be submitted by Referendum to the decision of the people in accordance with the law for the time being in force relating to the Referendum" says article 46.2 of the constitution.

However, according to the Irish Times, voters could be asked in the forthcoming referendum on the EU Constitution - expected next year - to give the government freedom to sign up for a wide range of such changes in the future as long as they get the approval of the Irish parliament.

The proposal, if passed, would allow the Irish government to give up the national veto and extend the practice of majority voting in the areas of common foreign and security policy, EU financing, social policy, environment policy and family law.

The newspaper notes that the most wide-ranging proposal is permission for the government to sign up to the so-called passerelle clause in the EU Constitution.

This clause allows virtually all matters currently governed by unanimity - except tax and defence issues - to be decided by qualified majority voting following agreement by all 25 EU leaders.