Lisbon ‘No’ could hit Irish jobs - Minister

Voting No again to the Lisbon Treaty could damage Ireland’s chances of attracting foreign investment and new jobs, Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin has warned.

The minister told the MacGill Summer School in Co Donegal last night that it would be a tragedy to put the future at risk by giving the impression the country wanted to water down its engagement with Europe.

“I know of no-one who believes a No vote would create any new jobs in this country,” Mr Martin said.

“When we go to the polls on October 2 we need to consider what signal we are sending to the people in places like Mountain View and Cupertino in California, to companies who have put their trust in Irish workers and Irish know-how.

“It would be a tragedy if we were to put our future at risk by sending out a message that we are somehow retreating into ourselves and diluting our European engagement. ”

Referring to companies like Google, Apple and Microsoft Mr Martin said membership of the EU had made Ireland a magnet for foreign investment.

“These companies did not come here because they like our climate, but because we are seen as a country that is fully plugged into the European Union,” he said.

“It would be unwise to give them any reason to think otherwise.”