PRESS RELEASE

October 2004

VOTE YES TO NICE

On Oct 19 th the electorate will decide our country's destiny. It will be up to the people of this island to choose which path our nation is to take.

The choices are twofold to place ourselves outside the European mainstream or to place ourselves at the heart of Europe .

To vote no is to be categorised with the first path. We will be viewed rightly or wrongly as separating ourselves from Europe . This has the potential to have catastrophic consequences to the years of economic growth and development we have achieved since joining the union in 1972.

With such an air of uncertainty as to Ireland 's attitude towards Europe it has been widely acknowledged by all sectors from business to unions and independent European observers that such a perception will not be conducive to attracting investment. A factor that will be exploited by our competitors.

Let us not forget that we would not have achieved our levels of growth without our membership. How else would our GDP have gone from 60% of other members in '72 to 111.7% of the EU average in 2001.

To follow the second path is to reaffirm everything membership of the union has done for this country over 30 years. The security afforded by same has allowed us to turn from a country of mass emigration to one of immigration.

By voting YES we are declaring our commitment to Europe and it's beliefs to allow countries to progress economically, politically and socially. By voting YES we not going to be swamped by migrant workers. Studies from Central & Eastern European countries show that there will be no sizable change from existing patterns.

By voting YES we are putting into our constitution that no Irish Government can ever enter into a common defence without consulting with the people through a referendum. A YES vote guarantees this.

The Nice Treaty is not about Ireland . It is however about the Irish people deciding whether or not they want to open their arms to Eastern European Countries many of whom have overcome communist dictatorships, many who resemble Ireland of a bygone day. Are we to be the deciding factor in hindering their membership of the union, to postpone those benefits of membership that made u who we are today.

VOTE YES ON OCTOBER 19TH