The record shows that Yes to Europe has always been the right answer and warnings from No campaigners have been consistently wrong, argues Michael McDowell
A stopped clock is right twice a day, but nobody trusts it to tell the time.
The No to Nice campaign is a stopped clock, with the campaigners hoping that the Nice Treaty is the moment in European history when they will be proven right.
They've been waiting 30 years to be right about their dire warnings of doom for the Irish economy, doom for Irish sovereignty and doom for Europe as a whole.
The Nice Treaty is definitely not their moment, but they desperately want people to believe it is.
They want us to believe that this particular treaty is the one big step too far, when all along they have opposed every step the EU has ever taken.
They want us to believe that they are great friends of the Amsterdam Treaty, when they were Amsterdam's enemies only five years ago.
The Nice Treaty in no way threatens any single national interest of Ireland. More positively, it opens the way for new member-states to join the European Union, with the promise of sustained jobs, trade and investment for Ireland.
Under the Treaty, we keep national power over tax and defence. No power is being given to the EU in these areas.
We cannot be forced to raise taxes. We cannot be forced to take part in any European military operation.
If the Dáil decides our corporation tax rate is 12.5 per cent, it will be 12.5 per cent. If the Dáil decides not to send Irish troops abroad, no Irish troops will be sent abroad. In addition, a Yes vote in the referendum will put the final decision on neutrality into the hands of the Irish people themselves.
Nothing in the Nice Treaty changes, qualifies or undermines these national powers, now or in the future. Everything in the Nice Treaty is in accordance with Irish democratic control over the vital areas of tax and defence.
The track record shows that Yes has been the right answer and warnings from No campaigners have been wrong.
As evidence of the wisdom of the Irish people in voting Yes on every European referendum until Nice last year, we can point to tremendous economic gains. We have achieved near full employment, an end to emigration and rising living standards across all society.
We can point to over €30 billion in support for our farmers and a total of €46 billion in EU support since 1973. The EU has enhanced the livelihoods of every single Irish citizen, in a myriad of ways.
We can point to an end to our demeaning economic dependency on Britain. When we joined the EEC, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer made all the decisions on Irish interest rates. Even 10 years ago, in the currency crisis of 1992, our Irish pound was still treated as a sterling-zone currency.
Only after we joined the EU and shared some power among EU member-states did we achieve the economic freedom to match our political independence. This is the freedom that comes from economic success not from economic isolation.
As against all that, the No side can point to nothing of substance as evidence of the negative consequences they predicted of our decisions to say Yes in past European referendums.
They have a very poor record in the form book. I can't see why we should bet our jobs and our futures on the No campaigners being right about Ireland and Europe this time.
So, when we make our decision on the Nice Treaty, I would urge the Irish people to place their trust in their own good sense since 1973.
They decided four times in the past to say Yes to a European treaty. They decided only once to say No in the first Nice referendum last year.
And after that, in May this year, they elected 166 Dáil deputies, 90 per cent of whom recommend a Yes vote to the Nice Treaty and asked for a mandate to put the question again.
These deputies and their political parties have met the responsibility of coalition government in Ireland over the past 12 years. They have each contributed to our economic success.
They have, in good faith, pursued the national interest, even if they have taken different policy positions.
They have fought the good fight for Ireland in the real world of negotiation at the EU and have delivered results for Ireland.
In short, they have a track record of acting responsibly for Ireland. As a consequence, they have consistently received substantial political mandates from the people in general elections.
THE version of reality offered by all the No campaigners has no connection with the realities of shouldering national responsibility and delivering results for Ireland.
The one thing that we who advocate a Yes vote have in common is that we have all been entrusted by the people to provide democratic government in Ireland.
The one thing those advocating No have in common is that they have never been given or discharged the responsibilities of government of our country.
This has been the consistent decision of the people.
Have they given the responsibility of government policy to Justin Barrett? Have they entrusted the economy to the Green Party? Have they put the national interest in the hands of Sinn Féin? Have they entrusted Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party to secure jobs and international investment in Ireland?
Why do so now?
I say to the people: think back on your own track record. Don't be led by fear - lead by faith in yourselves.
You were right to entrust your jobs and your livelihoods to political parties who know about the real world of working for Ireland in Europe.
You were right to vote for modernisation and progress by entering the EEC.
You were right to say Ireland could prosper in the single market.
You were right that Ireland would benefit from the single currency.
You were right to say Ireland would adapt to the Amsterdam Treaty rules.
You were right to vote in the general election for parties who say it's important for us to think again about the Nice Treaty.
This is a final decision. It matters a lot to the people of eastern Europe. It matters a lot to us. It will say a lot about where we see our future and in whose version of the future we have faith.
It's a crucial decision. Let's treat it that way and vote Yes.
Michael McDowell is Minister for Justice and president of the Progressive Democrats party