Brussels, 01/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 31 January, the Irish prime minister, Enda Kenny, said the Irish government's legal advisor, the Attorney General, would be asked whether the European budget pact would have to be ratified by a referendum, and the government would follow his advice. Any referendum in Ireland would be closely monitored by its European partners because Ireland has already rejected two EU treaties (the Nice Treaty in 2001 and the Lisbon Treaty in 2008), both of which had to be held again to attain the necessary yes vote. The deputy Irish prime minister, Eamon Gilmore, said that agreement on the budget pact would help stabilise the euro and guarantee growth in the European economy. Head of the main Irish opposition party, Fianna Fail (centre right), Micheal Martin, said he still believed that the population had to be consulted about any significant changes to Ireland's position in Europe. Sinn Fein, a leftist nationalist party, says there is no question of ordinary people not being consulted. Recent polls suggest that nearly three-quarters of the Irish population want a referendum. (LC/transl.fl)