The Labour leader, Mr Ruairí Quinn, yesterday warned that an No vote delaying enlargement could see Ireland accused of bringing down a new Iron Curtain in Europe.
Speaking at a press conference in Liberty Hall, the party's chairman, Mr Proinsias De Rossa MEP, also deplored those No campaigners who "somehow think they know best what the candidate countries want when they have governments to negotiate on their behalf".
The idea that a No vote would be doing them a favour was "utter arrogance", he said . It would do them a "grave disfavour."
Dr Peter Balazs, the head of Hungary's department responsible for integration with the EU and one of the country's leading Socialist politicians, said his country's support for accession remained stable at 66 per cent of the population.
Hungary had been waiting since 1988 to join the EU and a No vote in Ireland and the resulting delay in enlargement would would lead to serious disappointment.
It would also lead to delays in the economic assistance the country needs for restructuring.
He said a No vote would trigger a deep political crisis for the EU Mr Balazs added that the EU represented the best protection against the effects of globalisation.
The present of SIPTU, Mr Des Geraghty, said the best way to deal with fears of mass migration was not like the US with regard to Mexico, where continued poverty led thousands to seek their fortunes in the US. Instead the strategy of the EU, through enlargement, was to seek a level playing pitch for economic development. "People want to stay in their own country," he said.
Mr Geraghty said SIPTU had direct contact with workers' organisations in all the acceding countries .
"Their message is loud and clear. They want to be part of the EU," he said
Asked if he would find campaigning for Nice easier if Fianna Fáil were on the other side, Mr Quinn said he had found extraordinary levels of anger against the Government on the canvass.
"But a defeat in the referendum will not hurt Fianna Fáil. It will certainly hurt Europe . . . I would certainly prefer to have Fiana Fáil on the other side," he said
