The Green Party has rejected as "groundless" claims by the Yes campaign that Ireland would suffer economically if it rejected the Nice Treaty.
Speaking at a press conference on economic aspects of the treaty yesterday, the party's finance spokesman, Mr Dan Boyle TD, said the evidence from other member states was that there was "no negative effect in daring to be different". Countries such the UK and the Scandinavian states, which might be described as "awkward" in relation to the EU, were continuing to perform well economically, he said.
"Norway, which twice voted not to enter the European Union, Sweden and the UK - who opted out of participation in the euro currency - and Denmark which not only does not participate in the euro but also voted against the treaty of Maastricht, are all countries with similar per capita levels of GDP.
Claims that a No vote would lead to a flight of capital from Ireland failed to acknowledge that a drift in foreign investment was already taking place, as illustrated by UN and IDA reports, he said.
