Uitnodiging Le Pen veroorzaakt opschudding in Ierland (en)
French far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen and his deputy, Bruno Gollnisch, have been invited by the law society in one of Ireland's main universities to speak ahead of the referendum on the EU's new treaty.
The law society of University College Dublin asked the two politicians - both strongly anti-Europe - to come and speak in March or April before the public poll, which is expected to take place in May.
But the invitation, which has yet to be accepted by either politician, is causing political uproar in Ireland.
The pro-treaty camp fears the country will become a political battleground for anti-Europe campaigners from across the bloc as it is the only member state to have a referendum on the treaty, while the anti-treaty side believe their no campaign will be tarnished by politicians associated with opposition to immigration and holocaust denial.
"[Le Pen] belongs to another age, as do his eurosceptic opinions. Sadly, Le Pen is not the only person on the No side that is intent on misrepresenting what the EU Reform Treaty is about," said Europe affairs minister Dick Roche, according to the Irish Times.
Sinn Fein, which is against the treaty, is also unhappy with the prospect of National Front politicians coming to Ireland.
"His narrow brand of xenophobic politics is not wanted in this campaign and to be honest he will end up only helping the "yes" camp if he comes," Sinn Fein MEP Mary Lou MacDonald told the Irish Independent.
Meanwhile, British anti-treaty campaigners are also expected to try and influence Irish voters ahead of the referendum.
The Irish Times reports that the national executive council of the eurosceptic UK Independence Party decided a week ago that it would "actively assist the Irish campaign for a No vote."
On Saturday (19 January), the EU treaty will feature once again in Irish politics. The Green party, which has traditionally been eurosceptic about past treaties, will hold a vote on whether or not to support the Lisbon Treaty during the referendum campaign.
The party is now represented in government for the first time ever, giving a whole new dimension to the party's debate, with support for the treaty being a main part of the government's programme.
The new EU treaty, in the making for six years, contains many of the innovations of the rejected EU constitution, including a permanent president of the EU and a more powerful foreign representative.
It must be ratified by all member states before it can come into force - expected sometime in early 2009 - with Brussels keeping a wary eye on Ireland and hoping for a yes vote.
To avoid any upset, work on controversial projects in the EU has been put on the backburner until after the Irish referendum.