FF POSTER LAUNCH:TAOISEACH Brian Cowen has said increasing numbers of voters see the referendum as an opportunity to help the Government achieve economic recovery.
Mr Cowen said no one could look honestly at the guarantees on neutrality, abortion and taxation secured from Ireland’s partners in Europe and describe the referendum as a simple rerun of last year’s vote.
“I think more and more people are coming to the view that next October 2nd is an opportunity for our citizens to take a positive step about the future of the country. For our own citizens to decide to go into the ballot box and make it clear where they stand on helping us to get back to economic recovery quickly. And I think they see this referendum as such an opportunity.”
Speaking at the launch of Fianna Fáil’s new referendum posters in Dublin yesterday, Mr Cowen said: “No one can honestly look at the new legal guarantees received by Ireland and say this is a simple rerun of last year’s vote.”
He said fears about the impact of losing Ireland’s commissioner had been a big issue among No voters last year. As a result of the new guarantees, a commissioner would be retained in the event of a Yes vote. If there was a No vote the current rules would apply, and the automatic right to a commissioner would be lost.
“The only agreed legal basis for retaining the right to a permanent member of the commission is if we vote Yes.”
Mr Cowen also said the issue of abortion did not arise in relation to the treaty. “The guarantees that have been obtained at European Council last year are crystal clear in this regard. There is no intention nor predisposition nor interest by our colleagues in relation to in any way cutting across these fundamental ethical matters that are dealt with within the context of our own Constitution.”
Mr Cowen said a Yes vote would have a “galvanising” effect on Ireland’s self-confidence.
He said positive steps must be taken to find solutions for Ireland’s problems rather than just analysing the scale of them.
“A referendum Yes vote provides a huge momentum for the country, I think, in galvanising opinion behind moving forward.
“We should never underestimate the importance that that can bring in terms of self-confidence at home, and, very importantly, external confidence abroad by such a clear decision by the Irish people to go in a direction that’s constant with European Union development.”
Meanwhile, Mr Cowen said the Irish economy was based on trade with other states in Europe, with two out of every three jobs dependent on enterprise over borders in European markets. Membership of the euro had enabled Ireland to chart a way forward to recovery more quickly than would otherwise have been the case.
Referring to his attendance at the UN special summit on climate change tomorrow, he said Ireland’s voice in the negotiations would be more powerful thanks to EU membership.
“If we vote Yes for Lisbon we will directly empower the union to take a greater leadership role in tackling the single most important issue facing the world today.”
The Taoiseach said Fianna Fáil was feeling positive about the referendum campaign so far, but was taking absolutely nothing for granted. Every citizen needed to hear the positive case for a Yes vote directly.
He said the party was canvassing every constituency, and the feedback he was receiving indicated people were engaging in the debate in a serious way.
“They appreciate that this is not business as usual, but is something that’s above party, group or local interests.”
