Ahern urges voters to choose enlargement

This weekend’s referendum on European enlargement will decide whether Ireland will continue at the heart of Europe, the Taoiseach and the Tanaister today claimed.

Campaigning for a 'Yes' vote, Bertie Ahern and Mary Harney called on the electorate to ensure that the turnout at the Nice Treaty vote is as high as possible.

The country goes to the polls on Saturday for its second referendum in successive years on the Nice Treaty for European Union expansion. A second 'No' verdict would delay entry into the community by applicant countries.

In a joint statement the leaders stressed the benefits Ireland had gained from being a part of Europe.

They said that when Ireland took the historic decision to join the European commission of nations 30 years ago a transformation began which has 'seen Ireland and Europe grow and prosper'.

"Since then Europe has evolved to meet new challenges," they said. "Every time Ireland has voted for a new treaty, Ireland has benefited. We have been positive Europeans, with influence beyond our numbers or wealth.

"We believe that Saturday’s vote will decide whether or not Ireland will continue at the heart of Europe.

“If people want to vote for the policies that have brought our country so far and to ensure that we have the strongest ever protection for our neutrality we call on them to vote Yes on Saturday.”

Meanwhile the latest poll on the subject showed that almost a third of Irish people are still undecided over how they will vote in the referendum.

The poll carried out for today’s Star by Lansdowne Market Research found 39% of the electorate intended to vote Yes, while 22% would vote No, 7% would not vote and 31% were still undecided.

It found that more than half of supporters of government coalition party Fianna Fail backed ratification of the treaty – 55% said they intended to vote Yes, while 12% would vote No.

Amongst Labour party supporters, 35% said they would vote Yes and 30% No, while only 16% of Green supporters would vote Yes and 30% No.

Today’s figures broadly echoed those of an opinion poll last weekend, which indicated that the Yes lobby was set to come out on top, pointing to the prospect of a 60-40 majority.

The same poll also showed 24% of voters remained undecided.

A Yes response in the poll has been backed by all of the government and main opposition parties in Dublin, but is being opposed by an alliance that includes Sinn Fein, the Greens and senior figures in Ireland’s pro-life lobby.

The Prime Minister of Denmark yesterday said Ireland was at a “historic crossroads” as it approached the referendum.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, also President of the European Council, warned Europe would face “an unprecedented crisis” if Ireland did not vote to ratify the treaty.