A DECISIVE shift in favour of the Lisbon Treaty has taken place in recent months as Ireland’s economic woes have mounted, according to a new opinion poll.
The poll, conducted by Lansdowne Market Research, found that 58 per cent of voters agree that Ireland would vote Yes in a new referendum, while 29 per cent would disagree.
A further breakdown of the figures shows that 22 per cent “strongly agree” and 36 per cent “agree” that Ireland would vote Yes to the treaty. On the other side, 13 per cent “strongly disagree” and 16 per cent “disagree” that the treaty would be passed.
“The current recession appears to have put Europe and our position within the EU in a different light. Well over half of the public are concerned about Ireland losing its status in Europe,” the pollsters said.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen agreed at a EU summit last month to hold another referendum on the treaty on the basis of a number of assurances that have to be finalised with EU partners.
Mr Cowen did not commit himself to a specific date for the referendum, although it was widely believed that it would be held in October when the European and local elections were out of the way.
However, given the turnaround in public attitudes revealed in the poll, those in favour of an early referendum have a stronger case.
Other EU countries would welcome a referendum before the summer as it would enable new arrangements for European elections to be put in place in a number of countries.
It would stymie the plans of Libertas to attempt to turn the European elections in June into an EU-wide referendum on Lisbon.
On the economy the Lansdowne poll found that 74 per cent believe the Government’s handling of the issue is either very or fairly poor, an increase of 11 points since a similar poll in September. Only 10 per cent believe the Government’s economic performance is fairly or very good, a fall of five points, while 16 per cent don’t know.
