Merkel aims to boost Irish EU treaty "Yes" vote

By Darren Ennis

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Germany's Angela Merkel will visit Dublin next month in a bid to boost the "Yes" vote in Ireland's upcoming referendum on the European Union's new reform treaty, Irish foreign minister Dermot Ahern said on Thursday.

The German Chancellor will travel to Dublin on April 14th to deliver a keynote speech in favour of the treaty, which replaces the EU constitution rejected by Dutch and French voters in 2005.

Ireland is the only country within the 27-member bloc holding a vote on the matter, and rejection could topple the whole project, designed to end years of wrangling over reform of the bloc's institutions. Opinion polls show that more than half of potential voters are still undecided.

But French President Nicolas Sarkozy -- who had previously been invited to the Irish capital -- is not expected to take up the offer, Ahern said.

"The exact details have yet to be ironed out, but April 14th is the date agreed," Ahern told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels.

He said Merkel will speak at a meeting of Ireland's National Forum on Europe, and it is hoped she will address both the upper and lower houses of parliament, known as the Dail and Seanad.

"She is a straight talking, plain speaker and an impressive and formidable politician," he said.

Ahern said there would be "no shackles" placed on Merkel in response to fears of some in the "Yes" camp that interference from outside the country could damage their campaign.