THE LEADERS of the three main political parties put their differences aside and made a joint appeal to the Irish people yesterday to vote Yes to the Lisbon Treaty in the interests of the country.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour leader Éamon Gilmore appeared at a joint press conference in Dublin's Financial Services Centre, to emphasise the importance they all attach to a Yes vote.
Mr Cowen said that while their three parties had separate identities and programmes, there were some issues where they stood together in the national interest. "We share a patriotic commitment to building a bright future for the people of this country," said the Taoiseach.
"A Yes vote is about taking an EU which has worked so well for us and making sure that it will play just as important a part in our future," he added.
Mr Kenny, said the referendum was profoundly important for Ireland. "The political leaders standing here represent different viewpoints, very different viewpoints, but we stand together today, united, on one of the most important issues facing our country: the need next Thursday to say Yes to the Lisbon Treaty."
Mr Gilmore said that how Ireland voted on Thursday mattered for our prosperity today and for the kind of country and the kind of world our children would inhabit tomorrow.
Pointing out that there was growing uncertainty about economic conditions in the years ahead, the Labour leader said: "This is not the time for this country to throw a wobbly on Europe."
The Taoiseach refused to be drawn by reporters into a response to the French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, who warned yesterday that if Ireland voted No to Lisbon, "the first victim would be the Irish". Government sources said later that while the French minister's remarks were probably true, they were unhelpful in the current circumstances.
In a radio interview, Dr Kouchner said that a No vote would represent a lack of gratitude to Europe. "It would be very, very, very troubling . . . that we not be able to count on the Irish who counted a lot on Europe's money."
Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment John Gormley warned voters against believing those who advocated rejection of the treaty by claiming that a better deal could be achieved through renegotiation. "In all likelihood we could end up with a worse deal," he told reporters.
Campaigning in Limerick, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams insisted that the Government could renegotiate the Lisbon Treaty to include a permanent EU commissioner for Ireland as well as opt-outs or vetoes on issues like neutrality, public services and workers' rights.
He maintained that a No vote would send a strong signal and renegotiation would be possible if there was a No vote on Thursday.
The chairman of Libertas, Declan Ganley, announced that he had booked three one-way seats on a 6pm flight to Brussels on Friday in the names of Enda Kenny, Eamon Gilmore and Brian Cowen.
Mr Ganley said he had bought the tickets to make the point that the Irish people should tell the three party leaders to go back for a better deal and not come back until they have achieved it.
Siptu president Jack O'Connor said he did not believe a better deal was possible. "We certainly wouldn't want people to vote against the treaty on the basis that they think a better deal is possible," he said.