Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has called for a No vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum saying it would give the Government a mandate to negotiate a better deal.
"I want to call on all those who are worried about the Lisbon Treaty to come out on Thursday and vote no,” he said at his party’s final press conference this morning.
"Throughout the campaign the Government has failed to put forward any convincing argument as to why the electorate should support the Lisbon Treaty,” he added.
“They have been unable to give any reason as to how it is in Ireland's interests to lose a Commissioner and reduce our voting strength on the Council of Ministers. They have been unable to explain how the loss of vetoes, opening of health and education to competition and undermining of workers pay and conditions could be a good thing.”
Mr Adams said the Yes side in the debate had tried to argue there was no “plan B” if the treaty failed to be passed.
"The fact is that if the Irish people vote No on Thursday the Lisbon Treaty cannot go ahead,” he added.
“And in the negotiations that will follow the Irish Government has a responsibility to act on the concerns of the Irish people and secure a permanent Irish Commissioner, stop the undermining of workers pay and conditions, protect neutrality, copper fasten key vetoes, get opt outs from increased military expenditure and maintain the absolute right of Irish citizens to take the final decision on any significant changes to future EU treaties. “