The prospects of Ireland holding a second referendum on the European Union's Lisbon treaty before next year's European parliamentary elections are receding as differences emerged yesterday between parties supporting a Yes vote.

On the back of weekend comments by Dick Roche, Ireland's European affairs minister, that a second vote was "appropriate" both the Greens, members of the Fianna Fail-led coalition, and the conservative Fine Gael and Labour, the main opposition parties, ruled out the possibility of putting the question back to the people in the short term.