Poll: Ieren gaan EU-Grondwet afwijzen

[Dr. Marc-Alexander Fluks]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

Bron:  DPA
Datum: 6 juni 2008
URL:   http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/210571,poll-shows-lisbon-treaty-facing-rejection-in-ireland--summary.html
Ref:   Zie ook de artikelen in The Irish Times,
       http://www.ireland.com
       http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/frontpage/2008/0606/1212696236403.html
Ref:   http://www.fluks.combidom.com/javascript/news_results.htm?language=en&query=lisbon+treaty


Poll shows Lisbon Treaty facing rejection in Ireland - Summary
--------------------------------------------------------------

Dublin - The no side has surged ahead a week before Ireland holds a
referendum on the European Union's Lisbon Treaty, a poll showed Friday, as
the Irish justice minister warned there is "no plan B" if Irish voters
reject the referendum. The TNS/mrbi survey of 1,000 voters carried by the
Irish Times showed opponents of the treaty 5 per cent ahead of those in
favour. All polls up until now had shown the yes side in the lead.

The no side now stands at 35 per cent, up 17 per cent since three weeks
ago, while the yes side has lost five points to 30 per cent. Some 35 per
cent of voters still haven't made up their minds.

Justice Minister Brian Lenihan told Irish radio Friday that a no vote
would be "bad for Ireland, bad for jobs and bad for goodwill" towards
Ireland in Europe. He said rejection of the treaty would send the "wrong
signal" to Ireland's largest market.

Taoiseach (prime minister) Brian Cowen said he was confident the yes vote
would increase and he accused the no campaign of creating fear, suspicion
and confusion.

Ireland votes on the treaty on June 12, the only one of 27 EU member
states to hold a public referendum on the treaty aimed at simplifying
decision-making in the bloc.

An Irish no would mean the treaty, a replacement for the failed EU
constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters, could not go into
effect.

Irish voters have caused headaches for the EU in the past, rejecting the
Nice Treaty in 2001 before approving it in a second referendum a year
later.

All the major Irish political parties have been campaigning for a yes
vote. The nationalist party, Sinn Fein, is the only party with
parliamentary representation which opposes the treaty. It has four seats
in the 166-member Dail (lower house).

Sinn Fein MEP Mary Lou McDonald said the opinion poll showed that the
Irish public believe a better deal is possible.

Declan Ganley, the founder of the main anti-treaty group, Libertas, said
the referendum could still be won by either side.

A spokesman for the European Commission refused Friday to comment on the
survey: "Opinion polls are not decisive. The decisive thing will be when
the Irish people go to the polls. And we won't speculate on what the
decision will be."

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(c) 2008 DPA

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