Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has warned that a No vote in the upcoming referendum on the Lisbon Treaty would sideline Ireland within the EU and damage its interests.
He also asked the Taoiseach yesterday to set a date for the referendum, warning him that further delay would only create a dangerous vacuum to be filled by "misinformation". "I do think the longer it goes on without a date being named the longer that misinformation and confusion is there . . . My personal preference is before the summer," said Mr Kenny before holding talks with European Commission president José Manuel Barroso in Brussels.
He said increasing public fears about a future recession and job losses could have a negative impact if the referendum were delayed until the autumn. He also warned that voters often voted on local issues in European referendums, as occurred when the French and Dutch public rejected the EU constitution in 2005, and a good campaign was needed.
"I fully understand that the consequences for 500 million people are now dependent upon the Irish electorate making their decision. The enemies of this reform treaty are complacency, confusion and a lack of information," said Mr Kenny, who added that Fine Gael would put aside its public differences with Bertie Ahern to campaign for a Yes vote.
"Local or national concerns? For the Taoiseach or against him? This is a not a referendum on him it is a referendum on our children's future," said Mr Kenny who warned that a No vote could lead to Ireland losing influence at the European level.
He said as a vice-president of the European People's Party (EPP) - the biggest political group in the European Parliament - he had seen how some might "sideline a country's" claims, observations or recommendations if they were not seen as involved in the EU.
Mr Kenny also met EPP president Wilfried Martens to discuss holding an EPP summit prior to the referendum in Ireland, which could see major EU leaders from the same centre right political family such as German chancellor Angela Merkel attend. He said no decisions had yet been taken on the summit but he stressed that leaders such as Dr Merkel, Nicolas Sarkozy or Mr Barroso would not simply tell Irish people how to vote.
"If they come they will come on the basis of having a formal meeting on European economic growth or taxation or an issue such as climate change, or energy security. So in that sense you won't find them on Grafton street going to door to door," he said, adding that he would also welcome a visit from far right French MEP Jean Marie Le Pen.