The body represented the food and drink industry in Ireland today came out in support of the Lisbon Treaty.
Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII) said today that a Yes vote was the right vote for Ireland's most important indigenous sector.
FDII director Paul Kelly said: “The food and drink industry is heavily dependent on exports, and 73 per cent of those exports go to the EU.
"As the only fully vertically integrated industry sector in Ireland we have to deal with all aspects of the supply chain from farm to fork. Thus, we are exposed to a vast array of food safety and consumer protection legislation, which is mostly European in origin."
"It is clear that the sector can only benefit from a Treaty, which will reform how decisions are made in the EU so that Europe can remain an engine for economic growth and prosperity," Mr Kelly said.
He said the Treaty will enable the EU to respond faster to the new challenges ahead, create a more efficient and effective EU, retain Ireland's "strong voice" at the European table and foster the export-led growth of the food and drink sector.