The Institute of Chartered Accountants says it does not believe the Lisbon Treaty poses any threat to Ireland's taxation policies.

The institute says it has looked carefully at the issue and has concluded that the treaty allows each EU country to retain full control over its own taxes.

Anti-Lisbon campaigners claim the document includes a back-door route that would allow other member states to challenge Ireland's low corporation tax rate on competition grounds.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the Irish Farmers Association is meeting this morning to decide whether to recommend a 'yes' or a 'no' vote in the referendum on June 12th.