Bruton calls for clear message on Nice

Fine Gael's John Bruton has said that only a clear, positive message from the Yes campaign would result in a successful outcome in the Nice referendum.

He was reponding to the findings of a Millward Brown IMS poll which showed that 44% of those quizzed on the Nice referendum said they did not know how they would vote.

Because of the large size of the undecided figure, analysts in Dublin said the result was considered too close to call.

John Bruton said: "This poll shows that a major communications exercise is needed if we are to be sure that the Irish people will endorse the Nice treaty.

"The emphasis must be on conveying, not just the technicalities of the Nice treaty, but the commitment to building a structure of peace in Europe that has been the basis of the European Union from the beginning.

He spoke of how Irish people had benefited from membership of the EU.

"All workers now have a higher income and Irish women have been assured of equality in the workplace.

"None of this would have been possible had we not been part of the Union."