The treaty was the most important step taken in 10 years in preparing the EU for enlargement, the president of the Labour Party, Mr Proinsias de Rossa MEP, said.
Addressing party members at City Hall, Dublin, Mr de Rossa said it was a simple and acknowledged fact the institutions and procedures originally designed for six member-states 45 years ago just could not cope with more than 25 member-states at the start of the 21st century. If enlargement was to happen, then the institutions of the EU had to be reformed.