THERE MAY be 60 years between them but that didn’t stop Dr Garret FitzGerald and his granddaughter Réachbha from campaigning together for a Yes vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum yesterday.
The 83-year-old former taoiseach canvassed lunchtime shoppers with his 23-year-old granddaughter on St Stephen’s Green yesterday.
Ms FitzGerald is a volunteer with the Generation Yes campaign, which was initiated by a group of young people to encourage a Yes vote.
She became involved in the campaign with friends, but said that undoubtedly her grandfather’s pro-European views had an influence on her.
“Young people’s concerns were not addressed by the establishment last time around,” she said. “That’s why we are here doing this. Our futures are on the line.”
While it’s been some time since Dr FitzGerald sat in the Dáil, he was still recognised as streams of office workers and shoppers filed past him. “I’ve just been canvassed by Garret FitzGerald,” exclaimed one young woman who was on her mobile phone when he handed her a leaflet.
Dr FitzGerald was upbeat on the success of the Yes campaign so far but he said nothing was guaranteed.
The second attempt at getting a Yes vote was going better than the first, he added.
“I was canvassing on Saturday and on various days in south Dublin and I thought the response was better than expected. And then we had the poll, which seems to confirm that. But you never know until the day comes.”
He said the message from the Yes side was “much clearer” this time as several organisations had mounted strong campaigns. “There was a campaign last time but it wasn’t effective,” he said.
“This is much better and people are interested, concerned and I think that they are swinging it but we’ll wait and see.”
