The referendum on the reformed EU treaty will most likely be held in the summer of next year, according to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
Mr Ahern also told the Dáil that if agreement was reached to hold the children's referendum, advocating children's rights, both would be held on the same day.
He was replying to Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, who had asked if the Government had finalised a date for the referendum on the EU treaty and if the Taoiseach intended to hold the referendum on or before that date.
Mr Ahern said that the most likely time for the EU referendum would be next summer. "The intention is that if the IGC (Intergovernmental Conference) completes its work by Christmas, the treaty would become effective by the European elections of 2009."
The Taoiseach added: "We have not held any discussion on the children's referendum, but we had made a commitment that it would take place within a year from the time we postponed it. If we were doing so, it would make sense to have both referendums together, otherwise we would be asking people to vote twice in 2008."
The treaty contains between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of the EU constitution, which was rejected by France and the Netherlands and changed to allow member-states to pass it by parliament rather than by referendum.
