When the Taoiseach told them that strong legal guarantees were essential, all 26 heads of state and government agreed and this led to a substantial change in public support for ratification which was maintained until the end.

Speaking today, Minister Martin said, "If I were to choose the main reasons to vote Yes, I would break it down into five categories."

"Firstly - the legal, watertight guarantees that were secured following the concerns of the Irish people. A Yes vote guarantees the continuation of our automatic right to a Commissioner and other measures directly address concerns relating to taxation, the right to life, neutrality, workers' rights and social protection. Europe has listened to the Irish people. The guarantees that we worked hard to secure represent the most significant set of guarantees which have ever been given to a member state."

"Secondly - a Yes vote is a road-map to economic recovery. We have held a unique position as the country which is known for both being a Euro-positive country and having strong links to the rest of the world. For business which employs hundreds of thousands of Irish people, we have been the place to invest not just because we are members of the Union, but because we are at the table both shaping and participating in the development of the Union."

"Thirdly - this Referendum is above party politics and we only have to look to Ireland's main employers to see their strong support the Lisbon treaty. Ninety per cent of employers in large, small and medium enterprises are advocating a Yes vote. From Intel, Microsoft and Ryanair to the Small Firms Association and local chambers of commerce around the country; they all recognise it is in our best interests."

"The fourth reason we should vote Yes is so that the European Union can continue to work effectively and efficiently. All of the evidence shows that Ireland and Europe work better together and the Lisbon Treaty will ensure that the EU is stronger and more effective, which in turn benefits our country."

"And finally, a Yes vote sends a positive signal to our European colleagues, which is so important at this time. Ireland is a small country with an open economy and we need to send a clear message that we want to be part of a stronger, more effective EU. A Yes vote is the only way to achieve this," Minister Martin concluded.

This referendum is not about ‘politics as usual'. It goes beyond any issues of party, organisation or locality. It is about our country's future.

Yesterday I launched a book on Sean Lemass. As many people know, he is an historic figure I admire and greatly respect. Lemass' great achievement was to make this country look outside herself and take her place among the nations of the world. He inspired us to connect with the rest of Europe in the belief that we are better working together, that we are stronger together.

Lemass spearheaded Ireland's initial application to join the EEC and his successor Jack Lynch led us into Europe following a successful referendum campaign. It is an irrefutable fact that every time Ireland has voted to support the development of the EU, our country has benefited. Our infrastructure, both material and social, has thrived through our engagement with the European Union. Our confidence and sense of self has blossomed and we have seen that we can compete and win against the best in all aspects of our lives.

Our relationship with Europe has been good for us. We must now reaffirm this relationship in order to renew the vision Lemass had for us. The vision of a country working with its allies in order to achieve more for all of us.

Never has that sense of partnership, that sense of community among nations been more important.

An Essential Step to Recovery
During this campaign nobody has seriously challenged the basic point that a Yes vote marks an essential step for recovery.

Only with a Yes will we ensure investor confidence in Ireland, protect our influence in vital economic decisions and reform Europe so that it is more dynamic and effective.

These are not empty political claims. They have been backed by the overwhelming majority of organisations who will drive growth and job creation. In fact, one of the most welcome developments in this campaign has been that they have come into the debate to have their voices heard. International investors, businesses of all sizes, chambers of commerce, economists, trades unions and local development groups have all said that they view a Yes to Lisbon as vital for Ireland's economic future.

They do not want Ireland to step out of the core of the Union and they do not want a Union which continues without the reforms of the Lisbon Treaty.

Employment creation through balanced economic development has always been at the heart of the European project. This is true now more than ever.

The period of recovery and growth which began in the late 1980s emerged from a combination of domestic reform and European reform. When we went to the polls to vote on the Single European Act in 1987 we were engaged in major adjustments at home and presented with a major reform to the procedures and policies of Union. The Irish people voted Yes to Europe then and this decision was a vital part of our regeneration. The opponents of Europe told us then that the Treaty would do nothing for our economy, but hundreds of thousands of jobs were created by that Yes vote.

We listened to the positive and negative arguments and chose to take the European road to recovery. This is the same choice we face on Friday.

Europe Has Listened to the Irish People
One of the most important reasons why this choice is so clear is that Europe has listened to the concerns of the Irish people as expressed by them in last year's vote.

After the referendum I knew that time was required before deciding on the next steps. The Government worked to understand both the concerns of the Irish people and the views of our partners in the Union. Rather than going for a rapid response, we wanted to build a consensus.

Last year many people who could in no way be called eurosceptic came to hold concerns about the potential impact of the Lisbon Treaty. There was no single issue involved. While many anti-EU groups actively promoted these concerns, the public was entitled to have its concerns viewed as sincere and deserving of a response.

We went to our partners in the other states with these concerns and they were unanimous in being willing to find a way forward which provided a substantive response to the concerns of the Irish people.

At the December and June Councils our partners showed goodwill and understanding towards the Irish people. Each of the major concerns of the Irish people has received a detailed response. There was no shading of the issues or areas of doubt.

The guarantees agreed in June are comprehensive and they are watertight. Those who have made partisan claims, in the course of this campaign, that they are worthless, ignore the fact the legal guarantees constitute an international agreement which will enter into force on the same day as the Lisbon Treaty. The Guarantees will be lodged with the United Nations and this means that they will have the same status and international recognition as the Good Friday Agreement.

There is no getting away from the fact that these guarantees have substantially changed the dynamic of the referendum. The more that people who voted No have heard about them the more comfortable they are with switching their vote.

Anti-EU groups often claim that it is only supposed elites that want to move Europe forward. The reality is that people from all walks of life and from every level of our society have spoken up.

During the past month I have campaigned in many parts of the country and have had the opportunity to talk to people about their concerns. I understand that this is a time when many people are worried and are feeling the impact of the crisis.

To them I say the future is in your hands. By voting Yes you will be helping Ireland achieve economic recovery. By voting Yes you will be sending a powerful signal to job creators and investors that our country is and will remain at the heart of Europe.

Every vote matters on Friday. So I ask every citizen to vote on Friday and to vote Yes for Ireland and Yes for Europe. We are better together.

In relation to confidence, it has been confirmed time and again that a No vote will damage investor confidence in the future direction of Ireland - while a Yes vote will support confidence. This was added to yesterday with the release of a survey of over 300 chief executives of businesses which together employ thousands of people. This survey says that 91% of them feel that a Yes vote is important for recovery.

In relation to influence, it is clear that a No vote will see Ireland move away from the core group of nations which can influence decisions within the Union - while a Yes will protect this influence at a vital time. In the daily work of the Union Ireland has long punched above its weight because the others know that we want Europe to work and move forward. Even when we disagree with others they know we're on the same side. To stand against a reform Treaty which all other countries want even after we have received comprehensive guarantees would be seen as an explicit move by Ireland to the sidelines of Europe.

In relation to reform, a No vote means a Union which is has its hands tied in dealing with challenges faced by all members - while a Yes vote will ensure that it is more dynamic and effective on our behalf. Many of the Union's key rules are from a former era when an iron curtain divided Europe, there was no internet and global trade was a fraction of what it is. Its limitations have been clear during the crisis. For example, it has benefited no one that the Presidency of the Council has changed five times since the start of last year. When Europe works better it works better for Ireland.

In the face of the overwhelming support of those with a direct interest in job creation and economic recovery the No arguments have been reduced to saying "there's nothing in it about jobs". This is nonsense. Economic growth and full employment are set out as explicit objectives of the Union and the core purpose of the reforms contained in the Treaty is to help Europe to compete in the modern economy.

At the end of this campaign the message is even stronger than before: a Yes on Friday is essential for the economic future of Ireland and Europe as a whole.

Over the weekend it was very clear that people are taking this referendum very seriously and are determined to cast informed votes on Friday. There is a strong level of engagement and I have found that people are interested in making up their mind on the basis of positive reasons.

Unfortunately the reality of the campaign is that it is necessary to reply to various scare stories when they emerge, particularly as they emerge during the last few days of the campaign. In particular I would like to briefly deal with two reasonably common questions which have emerged.

Firstly, in relation to neutrality, a major push has been underway by No campaigns to persuade people that Lisbon is about the aggressive militarisation of the Union. The reality is that the proposal before the people is about Europe being more active in the promotion of the ideals which have informed Ireland's renowned tradition of peacekeeping. As a reassurance, I would urge people to take the time to look at the new legal guarantees which form part of the Lisbon package. These provide the strongest ever protection for Ireland's neutrality.

Secondly there is the recurring issue of the minimum wage scare of Coir. What makes this scare so outrageous is not just that it has absolutely no connection with the truth but that it is also targeted at the most vulnerable groups in our society. While the posters are still up and the scare is still being spread, the minimum wage scare has been disproved by every single expert who has examined it. The Referendum Commission has been very clear on this and I would urge anyone who is still concerned to take the time to look at what the Commission has said.

Friday's vote is too important for our future for it to be distorted by wild claims and cynical tactics. There is still time for anyone who is concerned about individual claims or is simply undecided to have their questions answered.

This is vote on whether Ireland and Europe will move forward together. It will decide if the European model of economic and social development can be reinvigorated at a time when we need it most.

On Friday people will go to the polls in one of the most important votes in recent Irish history. The outcome will determine the future direction of our country.

As the campaign has gone on the arguments of the No campaigns, both the reasonable ones and the ones designed purely to scare people, have been robustly and effectively dealt with. This is enabling the campaign to increasingly focus on the fundamental issue of Ireland's relationship with the European Union.

All of the evidence shows that Ireland and Europe work better together. The Union has been central to our development and in turn we have played a central role in the development of the Union. It has been a dynamic relationship not one frozen at the moment we joined thirty six years ago.

We have held a unique position as the country which is known for both being a core, Euro-positive country and having strong links to the rest of the world. For business which employs hundreds of thousands of Irish people we have been the place to invest not just because we are members of the Union, but because we are at the table both shaping and participating in the development of the Union.

Now we must decide if this approach to Europe will continue. The governments of the 26 other member states have consistently signalled their desire to implement the reforms of the Lisbon Treaty. They listened to the unease of the Irish people as expressed last year and they responded in an understanding and fully engaged way. They agreed to a negotiating process which would have one agenda alone - that of the Irish people.

The outcome of this process was described by The Economist as "a negotiating triumph" because it involved a watertight set of guarantees on every one of the significant concerns of the Irish people. There has been no attempt to single out one issue or to put the guarantees in a weak form: They are comprehensive, they are legally binding and they remove any reasonable basis for concern about the potential impact of the Treaty.

With concerns on tax, neutrality, workers' rights, social protection and membership of the Commission dealt with, people are now in a position to feel easier in focusing on the real meaning of the Lisbon Treaty; making the Union capable of helping all members in a fast changing world with new and unprecedented challenges.

The environmental, social and humanitarian provisions of the Treaty are very important for Ireland - however it is understandable that its economic importance is vital.

After a period of intense campaigning with extensive debate the overwhelming evidence is that a Yes vote marks an essential step on the road to economic recovery. Not one single major investor in this country has called for a No vote, while 90% of the people who create jobs, be it in small , medium or large companies, have said that a Yes vote will help to protect and create jobs.

The Union has been our rock of stability at the moment of our greatest need and it is the foundation upon which a return to growth can be built. A No vote will have major implications for both Ireland and Europe.

With a Yes vote, Ireland will retain the confidence that it is a positive and influential member of the Union and the Union will be allowed to move forward to tackle urgent problems. With a No vote, confidence in Ireland will inevitably suffer.

Ireland benefits when Europe works better - and Europe works better when Ireland plays an active and positive role in its development. Now that the concerns of the Irish people have been dealt with, the choice before us on Friday is a simple one - do we want to move forward with Europe or to try a new and more uncertain route.

Today I am appealing to every person in this country who believes that Ireland and Europe are better together to help achieve a Yes vote on Friday. This vote is too important for people to stand on the sidelines. Everyone, of all political persuasions and none, should make the time to do what they can to help.

Minister Ó Cuív said: "The Lisbon Treaty has a particular resonance with the people of Ireland because it is the first European Treaty that recognises the Irish language as a full working and official language of the European Union. Providing a major boost to the promotion of our native tongue, the EU conferred official status on Irish on January 1st 2007.

Minister Ó Cuív added: "Recognizing that linguistic diversity is a key element in the rich cultural heritage of our continent, the EU is committed to supporting the many languages of its 27 member states and 500 million citizens. According to the Lisbon Treaty the EU shall respect its rich cultural and linguistic diversity, and shall ensure that Europe's cultural heritage is safeguarded and enhanced. The European Union took a very positive view towards Ireland's request that Irish would be recognised as an official working language. This recognition has encouraged a renewed wave of interest in the Irish language. In practical terms, this new status of Irish in the EU means that all key EU legislation has to be translated into Irish. Plans to extend this to other legislation will be reviewed in several years time. This has created new opportunities for fluent Irish speakers who wish to work in the European institutions."

The Taoiseach said that the Lisbon Treaty and the new legal guarantees given to Ireland will make it possible for the countries of Europe to meet their moral responsibilities to UN-sanctioned peacekeeping.

"Various changes in the Treaty are directly designed to promote the type of peacekeeping that Ireland is known throughout the world. These are changes which the United Nations strongly supports because it believes that the countries of Europe need to work together to help the UN."

"Over the years Ireland has been unequalled in its commitment to peacekeeping and we should strongly support the Lisbon Treaty's proposals to make sure that the EU meets what can only be described as its moral responsibility to do more in this vital area."

"What makes a Yes vote on Friday a good deal for Ireland is that it will give us an EU which does more on peacekeeping, which is our chief priority, while also given us the strongest ever protection of our neutrality."

"In the highly unlikely event that there would ever be proposals to develop the EU's capabilities in ways which go against our neutrality we retain our absolute right not to participate. With a Yes on Friday this will be written into the fundamental law of both Ireland and Europe."

The reality is that the proposal before the people involves a very substantial change from last year's proposal because it includes new legal guarantees which will very directly limit the potential impact of the Lisbon Treaty in key areas. In addition, adoption of the Treaty will now bring the certainty of retaining Ireland's Commissioner, where the proposal last year was based on confirming the principle in the Union's current law that countries would lose their automatic right.

I don't propose to go into the detail of the guarantees again, but I do want to directly challenge the false claim that they are worthless. These guarantees were described as a "negotiating triumph" by The Economist for the simple reason that they so comprehensive and so directly deal with the major issues of concern to the Irish people.

Following last year's result the Taoiseach agreed an approach which would ensure that the negotiating agenda would be focused purely on Ireland's concerns and would not reopen 26 other agendas. In order to remove even the slightest doubt, the guarantees involve a series of steps each of which reinforces the assurances given to the Irish people. Their legal status is both clear and founded on basic principles of international law which member states of the European Union always abide by.

To say that what we have is simply a political agreement is factually wrong. Already in place is a binding international agreement. If we vote Yes that agreement will come into effect and the extra steps in the process will be implemented. There's nothing complex in this - it's how every international agreement is reached. It is very similar to the procedure followed for the British Irish Agreement of 1998. In that case both the Irish and British government agreed a series of steps conditional on ratification. The agreement was ratified and the steps were implemented.

Ultimately in order to accept the argument that these agreements are worthless you have to believe that the other members of the European Union intend breaking a binding international agreement. This is absurd and an insult to both the Irish people and to our European partners.

In over half a century the European Union has honoured every similar agreement to Ireland and every other country. It has proven its good faith and adherence to the rule of law.

However, if you want ultimate proof that the question before the people has changed just look at the No posters. Where are the slogans that were most common last year: "Vote No to save our Commissioner" and "Stop EU Tax vote No"? The reason they are nowhere is because they have been dealt with comprehensively.

Ultimately, the value of the guarantees is that they enable this debate to focus on the real issue of Ireland and Europe. This is what is on the ballot paper next week and this is why we are campaigning for a Yes vote.

The Tánaiste acknowledged that younger voters were less supportive of the Lisbon Treaty last year but that her experience on the campaign this time was that young people "realise just how importance it is that we vote Yes to the Lisbon Treaty. It is vital for their future and Ireland's future. Only a Yes vote will protect Ireland's economic interests and only a Yes vote will keep Ireland on a good footing with our European partners," the Tanaiste concluded.

"While the Lisbon treaty provides a stronger mandate for the EU in poverty eradication, it will also enable EU member states to become more effective in responding to crises in the developing world. One example of this is the creation of the post of High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. This post will provide member states with a more influential voice in international affairs. This is particularly important for smaller Member States such as Ireland, who appreciate that greater progress can be made internationally when the Union speaks with a single united voice."

"Poverty eradication is not something that any member state can achieve alone. The EU's size and resources means it can get to places and influence issues that Ireland could not do on its own. The Lisbon Treaty provides an opportunity for EU member states to come together and make a real difference in the developing world. For that reason, I would urge people to vote Yes on October 2nd."

The Summit of  Heads of Government and State has been convened by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to mobilise political vision and support to help "seal the deal" on International Climate Change at the Copenhagen conference in December.

The European Union has taken a global lead on Climate Change with a unilateral 20% reduction in green house gas emissions by 2020 and a commitment to step-up this target to 30% in the event of world leaders reaching an effective and meaningful deal in December.

Speaking about the summit, the Taoiseach said climate change is a clear example of the increasing need for international and global cooperation in response to the challenges of the 21st century.  Ireland's policy and contribution on tackling climate change is increasingly shaped by our membership of the European Union, where we in turn can exert influence on the wider world. Ireland sought and secured EU agreement to the explicit inclusion of combating climate change as an EU competence in the Lisbon Treaty.  Ireland fully supports the EU policy in tackling climate change and the important role it is playing in the lead up to Copenhagen.  There is no better demonstration of the importance and effectiveness of the EU to its citizens and the wider global community.

While at the UN the Taoiseach will also meet with other Heads of Government and State and corporate leaders. On Wednesday morning, he will attend the United Nations General Assembly which will include an address by President Obama. The Taoiseach will return to Dublin on Wednesday afternoon.

ENDS

"Terrorists, drug-barons and human-traffickers ply their deadly trade across national borders. We can't take them on and win alone. That's why the Lisbon Treaty states that the EU will aim to tackle "trafficking in human beings and the exploitation of women and children; illicit drug trafficking; illicit arms trafficking; money laundering; corruption; terrorism; counterfeiting of means of payment; computer crime and organised crime".

"The bottom line is this: the Lisbon Treaty allows us build on the progress made in the fight against crime and will help ensure that crime-bosses have nowhere to hide."

"Today, because of the EU, our criminal justice system is already working hard against cross-border-crime:

· Through the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre MOAC (N) in Lisbon, Portugal, our Irish Garda and Customs Liaison Officers coordinate intelligence sharing and rapid sea and air operations against cocaine smugglers. To date they have helped seize 24,000 kgs of cocaine.

· Through EUROPOL Irish Gardaí are linked into a European policing, intelligence and investigative network which takes-on cross-border crime. Recently Europol and the Garda Siochána smashed a ATM skimming network targeting Irish consumers.

· Through Eurojust the Irish Director of Public Prosecutions and counterpart prosecutors across Europe are co-ordinating investigations and prosecutions against cross-border crime.

· The European Arrest Warrant (EAW) is playing a major role in ensuring that criminals cannot escape justice by fleeing from one EU state to another. The EAW has been a real success in fighting crime as shown by the fact that 194 persons were surrendered by Ireland to other EU states and 87 persons were surrendered to this State in the period 2004 - 2008.

· Because of the European Evidence Warrant (EEW) Irish judicial decisions to obtain evidence - objects, documents or data - needed to solve crime will be directly recognised and enforced in other member States."

"The Lisbon Treaty can enable us to build us this undoubted progress. Crucially, Ireland will be able to choose on a case-by-case basis which additional justice measures we want to participate in. That power will be ours alone."

"The message is clear: the EU strengthens Ireland in the fight against crime, Lisbon will make us stronger still.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin T.D., has welcomed the call by Deputy Finian McGrath for a Yes vote on the Lisbon Treaty on Friday, 2 October.

The Minister said:

"Last year, Deputy McGrath voted No because he had genuine concerns on Ireland's Commissioner, taxation and our traditional policy of military neutrality.

"When the Government secured the new package of legally binding guarantees, the Deputy told the Dáil in July that he would make his mind up on the facts and ignore the spin.

"I know that he has studied the Treaty and the guarantees very carefully over the summer and I commend him for his decision.

"Those who are still undecided deserve our respect and I would urge them to follow Deputy McGrath's lead in judging the new package on its merits. The last thing they need is to be bullied by misinformation and falsehoods put forward by, for example, the UK Independence Party in its cynical and unwelcome intervention in our referendum.

"There are exactly two weeks to go to polling day and I would urge all those who are still undecided to follow Finian McGrath's example and examine the text of our legal guarantees which can be found on the website, www.lisbontreaty.ie. I am convinced that those who examine the facts will reach the same conclusion as Finian McGrath."

Minister for State Peter Power has today said that the Lisbon Treaty marks a major step forward in the promotion of social justice.

"As a community founded on a shared set of values, such as democracy, freedom and the rule of law, the EU has always adhered to the highest standard of human rights," said Minister Power. "The Lisbon Treaty includes among the objectives of the EU the promotion of justice and social protection, equality between men and women, solidarity between generations and the combat of social exclusions."

"One of the ways that Lisbon will help to achieve these objectives is by giving legal status to the Charter of Fundamental Rights. The rights set out in this charter range from areas such as employment to citizenship to more rights relation to freedom and equality. The rights set out in the Charter include: human dignity, the prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, freedom of thought and conscience, protection from unfair dismissals."

Minister Power added: "The Lisbon Treaty will also help promote social justice in the developing world. The EU is the world's largest donor, providing €49 billon to the developing world, more than half of the world's development aid. The EU remains committed to meeting the UN target of 0.7% by 2015. The Lisbon treaty commits the European Union to aiding developing countries and also to tackling the long term eradication of poverty in the developing world. If the Lisbon treaty comes into force, these goals will become enshrined policy objectives, rather than a mere sporadic priority.'
"With the focus currently on the economic issues of the day, it is easy to forget that the Lisbon Treaty also has a lot to offer in terms of promoting social justice. For that reason, I would urge people to vote Yes on October 2nd," Minister Power concluded.

Athlone, 15th September 2009

With two and a half weeks to go in this referendum campaign things are going well. We are winning the debate so far because our message of a reformed Europe and the new guarantees is getting through. However, we can take absolutely nothing for granted - we are facing campaigns that respect no boundary of fact and we have to continue to challenge their statements while making sure that our positive message gets across.

Campaign Started in June

This campaign began in June immediately after Ireland secured a comprehensive series of new guarantees dealing with the concerns expressed by the Irish people last year. The Economist magazine called it a "negotiating triumph" that the team led by the Taoiseach succeeded to win unanimous approval of guarantees which touch every major issue raised last year. We worked hard to spread the news of these guarantees and to make sure that a solid foundation was in place before the formal campaign. In the six weeks before the campaign launch there was on average at least one media statement per day. I want to acknowledge the members of parliamentary party who participated in this and also our MEPs for their role.

Action Throughout the Country

Since the 2nd of September this activity has gone up a number of levels. Leafleting and postering is proceeding throughout the country and canvassing is underway. We have held nine media sessions with Lisbon as the principal theme. The Taoiseach has already visited nearly a third of constituencies on his national tour. Overall the feedback is very consistent. People are engaged and interested in this referendum - and they understand that this is a vote which will have a major role in shaping the future of both Ireland and Europe. The Irish people can see through the main attack of the No side, claiming that nothing has changed because it is manifestly clear that a lot has changed.

There is now an agreement to retain a full Commissioner for every country, and we have comprehensive legal guarantees. The people remember the loud demands last year for these measures and now that they have been achieved they understand that this proposal has changed significantly for all those who had a genuine concern about the Commissioner, tax, neutrality, abortion, workers' rights and social protection. The fact that we can show that Europe has listened to the Irish people on these issues means that they are willing to listen to the case for the Lisbon Treaty. People can also see that the economic case for a Yes vote is overwhelming. They've heard 86% of employers, small, medium and large, say that only a Yes is a vote for economic growth.

They've also heard most of the Unions show how a Yes vote is a vote for both workers' rights and economic growth. I believe that the more that people see and hear the more they believe that Ireland needs Europe reformed with Lisbon. We need it for the confidence upon which recovery will be built and we need it because no country standing alone can hope to prosper in today's world.

Let's not be distracted

Between now and the end of the campaign we must make sure that we do not get distracted from focusing primarily on our positive message about Ireland and Europe. The entire game of the anti-EU groups is to throw up ever more extreme claims in the hope that some of them will stick. We have to be robust in responding to them - but we cannot let their claims dominate the debate. So far it has been claimed that Europe wants to do everything from destroy living conditions to lock up children.

If we spend all of our time responding to this nonsense we will miss the opportunity to put our case. We don't want people to vote Yes because of what's not in the Treaty, we want them to vote Yes because Ireland needs a Europe reformed through Lisbon.

Europe Core to Irish Sovereignty

I believe we have so far successfully combated the deeply cynical attempt by some groups to claim the heroes who founded this nation for the anti-EU cause. The fact is that it was people who fought in 1916 and the War of Independence who were the ones who most believed in Ireland joining the process of European integration.

Seán Lemass not only set our country on course for membership of the Union he also set out a powerful case for Ireland being seen as a European nation and for how Europe was the only way for this country to fulfil the potential of its sovereignty. He said over forty years ago "the future of Ireland is bound with that of Europe" and his words still ring true. Now more than ever we believe that Ireland and Europe are better together. The legal guarantees the Irish people have received mean that this vote is now a simple one. Yes is the vote for Ireland, positive and active at the centre of Europe.

No is the vote for Ireland taking a step away in a new and more uncertain direction.

Final Phase of the Campaign

In the remaining two and a half weeks we are going to redouble our efforts. In addition to current posters and leaflets we will distribute others addressing the key issues which have arisen today. Today we will launch a series of posters which point out exactly what a Yes vote means. We will publish a series of leaflets, including addressing the specific issues of Europe and Rural Ireland, the Economic Case for Yes and Europe and Values.

In the coming days we will begin answering the public's questions with online videos. Every unit of the organisation and every representative has been asked to get out on the ground and campaign - to bring our positive message to the people. If everyone who believes in the future of Ireland in Europe, who believes that a reformed and efficient EU is in our interests, gets out and campaigns then we can prevail on October 2nd.