Most Irish expect EU treaty vote to pass

The Irish voted "No" in June to the Lisbon Treaty, but since then a deepening recession has raised concerns about Ireland losing its status in Europe.

The former "Celtic Tiger" economy has suffered a reversal of fortune with a severe, two-year downturn in house prices prompting the government to forecast a 4 percent drop in economic output this year -- the worst recession on record.

Ireland is expected to hold a second referendum on the treaty later this year after winning concessions from EU members who want it fully ratified by the end of 2009.

Ireland was the first euro zone economy to slip into recession last year.

Nearly 60 percent of respondents in the Lansdowne poll said Ireland would pass a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty later this year, and 61 percent said they were concerned about the country losing its status in Europe.

Nearly three quarters of the 1,000 people asked said the government was handling the economy poorly, up from 63 percent in September. Just less than half said they expected the recession, which started in 2008, to last more than three years.

Around 56 percent said they expected the government, whose term runs out in 2012, would be forced into a general election this year.

Highlighting the soured public mood in Ireland, 46 percent of those surveyed said they expected their personal situation to be worse off next year. In 1997, when Ireland's economy was booming, that was only 9 percent.

Interviewing for the poll was conducted between January 12 and 23.