Accountants urge yes vote in June

THE Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland has urged a Yes vote in June’s referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

At the organisation’s annual conference in Galway, its president, Vincent Sheridan, said it was the first time that the institute has chosen to enter a referendum debate, and has done so because of the importance of the issue to Irish business and to the economy at this time.

“We believe that the treaty poses no threat to our current corporation tax rate. But we believe that if Ireland is to be successful at preventing future attempts at harmonising either rates or bases we need to maximise our standing and negotiating position in Europe. Voting Yes will achieve that result, voting no will achieve the opposite,” he said.