Bertie Ahern: ‘I am trying to do my best.’

THURSDAY June 12 is the date favoured by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern for the Lisbon Treaty referendum, he indicated at the end of an EU summit in Brussels.

He had briefed EU leaders on the state of the referendum debate here and explained he would announce a date next week.

“There was a lot of interest,” he said at a press conference afterwards.

When asked for a date he said it would be “in or around the 12th” and went on to rule out Friday 13 and Saturday 14.

Mr Ahern explained that he was trying to ensure it would not upset the third level exams which start in May and go on until June.

“I am trying to do my best but I am told, which unfortunately I don’t have the privilege of it, that once you hit mid June everyone goes away to their villas and country houses”.

He said he liked the idea of holding a vote on a Saturday but in winter. The problem was obvious from watching the M50 on a Friday lunchtime when a huge amount of people head out of Dublin, even in wintertime.