Dublin - European Union officials will remember 2008 as the year Ireland rejected its reform treaty, but for most Irish people it was the year the bubble burst and the Celtic Tiger economic miracle came crashing to an end.

What started as whispers about economic downturn in spring turned to cries of crisis in autumn, with the economy grinding to a halt as a result of a construction industry meltdown and the credit crunch.

The government's defeat in the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty by referendum in June was a major political upset in a tumultuous year, in which Prime Minister Bertie Ahern in the south and First Minister Ian Paisley in Northern Ireland stepped down.

Berlin - Ireland is planning to make a new bid in October 2009 to ratify the EU reform treaty rejected by voters last June, German government and parliamentary sources said Tuesday.

In return, Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen is seeking legal guarantees on Irish sovereignty over issues such as abortion, neutrality and taxation, they said. He also wants permanent representation for Ireland in every EU Commission.

The Lisbon Treaty, which aimed to streamline decision-making in the 27-nation bloc, cannot enter force until all member states have ratified it. Apart from Ireland, the Czech Republic is the only member not to have endorsed it.

Berlin  - Ireland hopes next week's European Union summit will help break the impasse arising from Irish voters' rejection of the EU reform treaty, Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen indicated Wednesday.

"The situation we face represents a considerable challenge for Europe," Cowen said at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, ahead of talks between the two leaders in Berlin.

"I'm hopeful we can identify the elements of an acceptable way forward next week," he said, adding: "Any way forward must naturally respond to the concerns of the Irish public which led to the rejection of the treaty in the referendum last June."

Dublin - Trade union members at Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus were due Tuesday to conclude a ballot on cost-cutting measures, following a take-over offer by rival Ryanair, Irish national broadcaster RTE reported.

Low-cost airline Ryanair offered on Monday to take over privatized national carrier with a bid of 1.40 euros (1.78 dollars) per share, which would value the airline at 748 million euros.

Aer Lingus late Monday rejected the offer.

Stockholm  - Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen met Friday with his Swedish counterpart Fredrik Reinfeldt in Stockholm, and briefed him about the Irish government's views on how to go ahead with the European Union reform treaty.

Cowen told Swedish radio news that Ireland hoped a EU summit in December could "outline the elements of a solution."

Voters in Ireland earlier this year rejected the Lisbon Treaty, which aimed to streamline decision-making in the 27-nation bloc. It cannot enter into force until all member states have ratified it.

Sweden, which last week ratified the treaty, is set to assume the six-month rotating EU presidency in July.

Helsinki - The government of Ireland is not planning to make any decisions on a new referendum on the European Union reform treaty until a EU summit next month, Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen said in Helsinki late Thursday.

Cowen's remarks were made after talks with his Finnish counterpart Matti Vanhanen, Finnish news agency STT reported.

Voters in Ireland earlier this year rejected the Lisbon Treaty, which aimed to streamline decision-making in the 27-nation bloc. It cannot enter into force until all member states have ratified it.