A poll to be published in tomorrow's Irish Times shows that more than half the electorate intend to vote in favour of the Nice Treaty in the June referendum. The MRBI survey shows 52% in favour of the Treaty, with 21% against, while 28% offered no opinion. Thirty-seven per cent of those interviewed indicated they had some knowledge of what the Treaty is about; 62% said that they knew little or nothing of the issues involved.
Earlier today, the Taoiseach said that it would be disastrous if Ireland were to opt out of the future development of the EU. Mr Ahern said that those campaigning against the Nice Treaty were ideological bedfellows of the Tory Euro-sceptics. He was speaking at the launch of the Fianna Fáil referendum campaign.
Mr Ahern's broadside against the "No" campaign was all-embracing. The Greens, Christian Solidarity and Sinn Féin were singled out as long-term opponents of Ireland's EU membership. However, he was particularly scathing of the Republican movement's position on neutrality. Their attachment to it, he said, had been of very recent vintage.
The Taoiseach said that the IRA had been one of the few groups that had sought to undermine neutrality during World War II. Up to a few years ago, he said, it had been at war with Britain. The Taoiseach pointed out that one could not be neutral and at war at the same time. He suggested that Republicans could best serve the cause of arms reduction in Europe by putting weapons beyond use.
However, Sinn Féin's Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin hit back, describing the Taoiseach remarks as "bizarre". Mr Ahern, he said, clearly realised that their opposition to the Treaty was having a significant political impact. Mr Ó Caoláin said that the Taoiseach should ask how a close relationship with NATO was compatible with the tradition of anti-imperialism and neutrality.
The Socialist Party TD has said that the real agenda of the Treaty is to extend the economic power of multi-nationals based in the EU. Joe Higgins said that the claim that the Treaty was about extending solidarity and friendship to the applicant countries in Central and Eastern Europe was "a cruel and dishonest deception". Deputy Higgins was launching his party's campaign for a "No" vote.
Deputy Higgins said that ordinary people and small farmers in the applicant states would continue to pay a heavy price under the EU, when state subsidies will be completely wiped out and they will be at the mercy of the multi-nationals.
