EU member states "need to hold the Union together to be able to fix it," Green party leader Eamon Ryan has said.

With less than two weeks until the Brexit referendum, and polls showing the lead side with a 10 point lead, Mr Ryan said half the UK’s population seemed to be on the brink of pulling away from a union that has brought peace to the continent.

“It does not help that the European institutions are lacking real leadership at this critical time.”

Speaking at his party’s annual convention in Cork, he said: “We stand by our Green colleagues in the UK who are calling for a vote to remain and at the same time campaigning for Europe to change. We need to hold the union together to be able to fix it.”

A poll by the The (London) Independent put the scores at 55 per cent to 45 per cent in favour of pulling out, after allowing for an individual’s likelihood to vote.

Earlier, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said Taoiseach Enda Kenny should campaign in the North in the "national interest" against Britain exiting the EU.

Mr Adams said “we think it’s against Irish national interests that one part of the island would be dragged out of the European Union”.

“We think partition has done enough damage without that being added to it this time,” he added.

Remain vote

Speaking to reporters before a Sinn Féin national executive meeting in Dublin, the Louth TD noted that the Taoiseach was to campaign in Britain for a remain vote.

“We think he should also campaign in the North,” he said.

A Government spokesman said Mr Kenny would speak in Belfast on Monday at a conference on Brexit. The spokesman added that further plans were “being considered”.

Mr Kenny is due to visit Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow as part of the State’s bid to encourage Irish voters in Britain to opt to remain part of the EU.

A number of Cabinet Ministers including Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan and Minister for Jobs Mary Mitchell O'Connor have already visited parts of Britain with large Irish communities.

The Sinn Féin leader stressed that “we need to act in our own national interest. It is not good for the island of Ireland that one part of the island would be dragged out of the EU on a decision made by the people of another island.”

“We’re very critical of the European Union but we think the only decision is to vote to remain.”

Asked if he would discuss Brexit with Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster whose DUP is in favour of leaving the EU, Mr Adams said "they have their position and that's their position but we have to speak to the electorate and to make sure that people come out and vote and that they vote to remain".