Political parties wind down their Nice Treaty referendum campaigns today with a series of press conferences ahead of Saturday's vote.
The latest opinion poll on the treaty, published in The Irish Timesthis morning, suggests Ireland will ratify Nice, but voter turnout will be crucial.
The poll carried out by MRBI shows 42 per cent will vote Yes on Saturday, 29 per cent will vote No, and 19 per cent have not yet decided. Ten per cent do not intend to vote, according to the poll.
Speaking at Fianna Fáil press conference in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said that he accepted that people wanted reassurance that Ireland's traditional neutrality would not be affected by the Nice Treaty.
Asked why he felt there was a need to include a constitutional amendment on neutrality - when before the first Nice vote he said Ireland's neutrality would not be affected - Mr Ahern replied: "Just to be sure, to be sure, we put in the constitutional amendment".
At the Progressive Democrats press conference in Dublin this morning, the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, urged all Irish people to vote Yes. She said that "a Yes vote will put the wind behind our backs. A No vote would be an ill wind in our faces.
"The Nice Treaty simply adjusts EU rules to allow up to 12 new countries join," she said.
"I am going on an investment mission with the IDA in November. I ask the Irish people to back us with a re-statement of our commitment to working in Europe and making Europe work," Ms Harney said.
The Green Party leader, Mr Trevor Sargant, earlier launched an attack on the Government. "The great shame of this whole second referendum campaign has been the refusal of Bertie Ahern and his Government to stand over the people's Constitutional decision.
"The Government capitulated to the EU Commission and other EU Heads of State and completely failed in their duty to communicate and uphold the people's decision. The Green Party are now urging voters to resist this Government's attack on democracy by coming out in force and voting No this Saturday, he said.
The Fine Gael deputy leader, Mr Richard Bruton, promised the Irish electorate that they can vote Yes on Saturday in the knowledge that Fine Gael will vigorously make the Government accountable for their disastrous handling of the economy.
"I am appealing to Irish people to hold their wrath for the Government until after Saturday. We know you are angry at their broken promises, at their deception and their cutbacks . . . but the Nice Treaty is about . . . the people of Ireland keeping a steadfast grip on our place in the European Union," he said.
At the final press conference of the Socialist Party before the Nice Treaty Mr Joe Higgins said: "Lurid warnings about a flight of investment from Ireland and lost jobs if we vote No again to the Nice Treaty continue to emerge from leading proponents of the Yes campaign.
"We urge Irish workers and their families not to be panicked or railroaded by these threats which amount to political blackmail," he said.
Fianna Fáil, advocating a Yes vote, is due to hold its final press conferences later. Sinn Féin is due to hold press conferences later today to call for a No vote on Saturday.
The electorate stands at 2,923,918. Voting takes place between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday. Results of the seven "electronic" constituencies will be known between midnight and 1 a.m. on Sunday morning. The overall result is expected to emerge at about 5 p.m. on Sunday.