Both sides of the Lisbon Treaty debate today made a final push in their campaigns on the last day of canvassing before the traditional eve-of-vote moratorium in media coverage tomorrow.
The three main political parties advocating the Lisbon Treaty will hope to get a fillip in the wake of a joint press conference yesterday in which the leaders urged a Yes vote.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen has again appealed for a Yes vote on Thursday saying it was crucial to this country's future prospects. He flatly rejected the idea that it would be possible to renegotiate a better deal if there was a No vote.
He said that voting Yes to Lisbon would underline Ireland's place at the heart of Europe and demonstrate to investors, both national and international, that investing in Ireland remains a sound proposition.
"As Taoiseach, it is my deeply held belief that the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty is crucial to this country's future prospects," he told reporters at Fianna Fáil's final press conference today.
Mr Cowen, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour’s Eamon Gilmore appeared at the IFSC in Dublin calling on voters to put aside party differences and unite to protect Ireland's position within the European Union.
Fianna Fáil MEP Eoin Ryan was canvassing in Dublin aboard the party's campaign bus.
Past and present Fine Gael leaders gathered in Dublin this morning to urge the Irish people to vote Yes.
Warning against complacency, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said Thursday "is a moment of truth" for Ireland, but he expressed confidence that the treaty will be passed.
Fine Gael MEP Maireád McGuinness and TD Olwyn Enright were canvassing in Offaly, while MEP and Fine Gael campaign director Gay Mitchell was in the Inchicore and Bluebell areas of Dublin.
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore said in Dublin at the party’s final press conference of the campaign that the Lisbon referendum result would be “close”.
Recalling the close result in the divorce referendum of 1995, he expressed the hope that Labour would once again be on the winning side.
Minister for Health Mary Harney said, meanwhile, that France’s foreign minister should refrain from making unhelpful comments about the referendum. Bernard Kouchner said on Monday that Ireland had "counted greatly on European money" and would be the first victim of a No vote.
Former Progressive Democrat leader Ms Harney said the comments were “very unhelpful”.
“He said at the beginning he was superstitious and maybe he should say nothing or very little,” she told RTÉ.
“He should have stuck to his own advice. I think we have a proud record in Ireland of making up our own mind.”
The Irish Alliance for Europe was also campaigning in Dublin at various locations.
On the No side, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams joined party MEP Mary Lou McDonald in the capital at the GPO, where anti-Lisbon campaigners associated with the Campaign Against the EU Constitution are also canvassing.
The founder of anti-treaty group Libertas said this morning there was no room for confidence or complacency about the result in the referendum. Declan Ganley said his group was “not taking any single voter for granted.”
The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland issued new guidelines for broadcasters at the end of April ahead of the Lisbon referendum.
Under the guidelines the moratorium period has been extended and will now operate for the entire day before the referendum takes place and throughout the day of the poll itself, until the polling stations close.
The moratorium is aimed at ensuring that fairness and balance are achieved by broadcasters during the referendum. It is also intended to allow voters a period of reflection in the final stages of the treaty debate.