The news coming out of Ireland is that the re-vote on the Lisbon Treaty, that would establish a better framework for the EU, is not to be held in June along with the european election, but in October, as previously rumored.
It also seems like that this time the treaty will pass. A poll from this weekend by the Irish Times:
The latest poll shows that 51 per cent would now vote Yes to the treaty in a referendum, an increase of eight points since the last Irish Times poll in November, with 33 per cent saying they would vote No, a drop of six points. There are still 16 per cent in the “Don’t Know” category (down 2 points). When undecided voters are excluded, the Yes side has 60.7 per cent, with 39.3 per cent in the No camp. That compares to the referendum result last June of 53.4 per cent No and 46.6 per cent Yes. Via The Irish Times
It also seems that the worldwide financial crisis has made the country re-evaluate how much it needs close ties to the European continent:
A reason for the shift, analysts say, is that Ireland’s voters can see what happened to another island nation, Iceland, which suffered a currency collapse and effective bankruptcy as a result of the financial crisis.
The primary difference saving Ireland from the same fate is its membership in the euro, Europe’s common currency. Iceland’s overstretched banks borrowed euros and pounds, and its central bank couldn’t convert kronur into those currencies to bail them out. That isn’t an issue for Ireland, even though Irish banks also have liabilities that far exceed the country’s gross domestic product.
“I think the dominant factor here is just fear,” said Gavin Barrett, a Europe expert at University College Dublin’s law school. “Everyone here is very well aware of what happened in Iceland.” Via Wallstreet Journal
Not sure if that is a valid reason to vote “yes,” but it’s definitely no more bogus a reason as the “no” campaing’s who insinuated last year Ireland was to lose its independence if voters chose “yes.”
I live in the North of Ireland and think that Ireland should stand their ground and stay out of Europe as things could only get worse. We will be expected to pay Europe around £300 per person so that the powers that be will laugh all the way to the bank. We hope that the North will be allowed a vote in the Referendum against the EU constitution and my vote is “NO” to Europe. Brussels will be our dictators and we will end up being states like America and not countries. They will overcrowd our country,(as if it is not overcrowded as it is) we will probably loose our Nationality. There is more to Europe than meets the eye. Both North and South have managed to beat resession before without Europe. I regret that North and South are not united. Ireland will get through this without bowing down to something you will not get out of.