Kenny shoots down more calls to defer treaty vote

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has shot down renewed calls for the referendum on the European fiscal treaty to be postponed.

He rejected claims from a group of independent politicians that uncertainty in France and Germany, and potential revisions to the treaty text mean it is too soon for the Irish people to cast their vote.

“The date is fixed for May 31,” he said. “The reason it’s important we leave it at May 31 is that it allows us to send out a very clear signal of certainty from our people, about our country.”