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EVERY EVENING, THEJOURNAL.IE brings you the latest news and campaign moves, squabbles and – hopefully – useful tidbits of information as we face into the 31 May Fiscal Compact referendum.
(If you just want to make up your mind by yourself, you can read TheJournal.ie‘s layman’s guide to the treaty).
WHAT’S NEW?
LAUNCH INVITE OF THE DAY:
The Communications Department of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group sent a press invite round to the launch of their leaflet supporting a ‘No’ vote, which they say will be delivered to every household in the country. They gave us this advice in a note at the end:
4 or 5 MEPs from EFD Group shall be there. Should be good for photo op with good looking Danish mep and female assistant.
Labour MEP for Munster, Phil Prendergast, said today that the leaflet is a “piece of propaganda”.
UNCOMFORTABLE ON-CAMERA CAMPAIGN MOMENT:
If you haven’t seen this video already, Enda Kenny will probably be relieved. (Video: Seansbarathlone/Youtube)
And if you haven’t heard this bit of audio, captured by the Westmeath Independent, he will probably be even more relieved.
BIBLICAL REFERENCE OF THE DAY:
Justice Minister Alan Shatter backed previous Government comments today to say that delaying the referendum would not be in the interests of the country. He ended with this:
To those opposed to the treaty or uncertain of whether to support this international insurance policy to protect our future, I say it is important to remember that it wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark.
Tomorrow: Jonah and the Whale.
TODAY’S PICTORIAL FACE-OFF:
In the ‘No’ corner - Joe Higgins TD, Cllr Melissa Halpin and Paul Murphy MEP of the United Left Alliance:
In the ‘Yes corner - Ciara Conway TD, Aodhan O Riordain TD, Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore and Dominic Hannigan TD:
Photos by Sam Boal and Sasko Lazarov of Photocall Ireland.
NO!!!
Means YES!
I’m voting No. I voted No to the Lisbon Treaty twice.
Did they give you a badge?
NO means NO Nucky.
UnderTheRadar – You should have worded that differently – lol ;-)
The ‘Nama Wine Lake’ blog has been one of the most factual, informative & highly respected blogs on the Irish Financial Crisis.
Nama Wine Lake launches his ‘NO’ poster, together with one of the best articles explaining why.
This is a must read, very well considered.
Well spotted Ann. I’ll rephrase.
Nucky. No means NO! ;)
Love the Flood scare tactics of Shatter… really , the public love being frightened into voting Yes. As someone else commented earlier, Noah apparently had a pretty good insight into the flood that was coming. Does Shatter suggest that he has Gods ear, or does he think Merkel is the Messiah?
Surely God could give Enda Kenny a set of balls to go on and debate the treaty with Adams?
Kenny proved himself to be an incapable inept fool yesterday. He was totally unable to respond with any empathy when confronted by a member of the public. “The people” whose mandate he thinks he posesses are nothing more than an inconvenience to him in his quest to get an A+ from his puppet masters. The man should not be in politics never mind hold office of an Taoiseach. He is not able to speak off script and his advisors know that were he to debate with Adams (or anyone else for that matter) he would probably push the undecideds into the NO camp.
All i have to say is Remember Lisbon !!! Lies,lies,and more lies………… VOTE NO….
Edna and his smug glee like hand rubbing make me sick! Can’t answer a member of the public and it’s not as if the guy was rude, loud or angry. A total lack of respect for the very people that voted him in. Feck off with your troubles little man your holding up the party! Utter disgrace! There’s the proof that kenny couldn’t give a shite about the average joe and Jane Ireland!! I am ashamed for voting him! Vote no!
ENDA KENNY IS AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE.
I hope everyone proves that we aren’t gullible idiots anymore and votes NO.
As they say……. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me”
Don’t be fooled or threatened into voting yes this time – vote NO.
Just watching a German match for a play off to the Bundesliga between Dusseldorf v Hertha Berlin.
The crowd trouble is akin to the English game in the 1980′s. Unfair perhaps to judge on one game, but my guess is that, like England in the 1980′s, there is an underbelly of working class aggression in Germany.
Just an observation.
Stephen Ye are no saints in Sligo either. Remember the Glentoran bus.But back to the point.NO.
The single currency will keep Europe at peace, A breakup will lead to Europe at war again. So vote yes for peace or vote no for war. And real austerity, it can be found in Africa or India. What Ireland is experiencing right now is just a downward adjustment in how rich it is.
LOLing thats the best one yet. You want to send that one on to Kenny & Co so they can use it to try and brow beat us. More lies and more scaremongering. Good to know that you are all good at something – Bullshit!!
Yeah, like Europe was at war when every country had its own currency?
Alex: “What Ireland is experiencing right now is just a downward adjustment in how rich it is.”
Yeah alex, just like dying and being buried underground is a ‘downward’ adjustment in how alive you are.
Will Nigel Farage ever mind his own business. Class 1 muppet!!!
Whether you agree with him or not , Farage can hold his own with anyone…
Even though I disagree with him on this Treaty (on a lot of stuff actually), I will that he is a fine debater. His speech in the EU Parliament where he calls Von Rompuy was mean, but hilariously funny!
That being said, not sure how he feels about being in bed with Sinn Féin on this. Farage’s own personal politics would suggest he has no time for them.
(Also enjoy the irony of him telling us not listen to foreign MEPs!)
The wording of the proposed amendment is in itself violating article 15.4.1 which says the Govt will not pass legislation which is repugnant to the constitution or any provision thereof
The proposed amendment will allow a committee of 3 Germans decide our corporation tax, the number of TDs we can have, how we are governed. This is not scare mongering or exaggeration. It’s as plain as day. Read the amendment.
Here it is:
“The State may ratify the Treaty on Stability, Co-ordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union done at Brussels on the 2nd day of March 2012. No provision of this Constitution invalidates laws enacted, acts done or measures adopted by the State that are necessitated by the obligations of the State under that Treaty or prevents laws enacted, acts done or measures adopted by bodies competent under that Treaty from having the force of law in the State.”
Somebody tell me. Who are these “bodies competent under that Treaty” and why are they so clearly identified as not being the “State”
Would suggest you go & read the Treaty itself, it’s only 12 pages long or so.
Here’s a copy in case you don’t have one.
(http://www.irishtimes.com/focus/2012/fiscal-compact/index.pdf?via=rel?via=rel)
Nowhere in the proposed Treaty is there any mention of a Committee of 3 Germans; the bodies refer to the usual European institutions (specifically, in this case, the President of the Commission & the Euro Summit Title IV, Article 12, section 4).
I’ll take you at your word that you weren’t intending any “scaremongering or exaggeration”.
I’ve read the Treaty thank you. Nowhere in the Treaty does it mention the words “bodies” or “competent”. Hence the question about who they are.
The ‘Bodies’ are probably the untouchables with no accountability that will oversee the ESM when it is set up…our Gov. are saying this treaty has nothing to do with the ESM treaty…yet their party line is ‘ Vote Yes or we cant access the ESM’…..so I read the ESM Treaty….. and that is not something I wish to be party to…Austerity forever….I reacon they are the ‘Bodies’ they refer to!
Enda Kenny so aptly demonstrates why he is unable to take on a live debate.
Hilarious if it wasn’t so scary that this is the man who is in charge of our lives right now.
@ Alex Pigot.
Did you eat all the posters that were taken down after the Lisbon Treaty? Oh dear, what are you suggesting there.. vote No and the Germans will attack? haha…
What planet did you come from ‘Letthemeatcake?’
Someone in the metro herald noticed the referendum once again falls on a Thursday…. Making it hard or near impossible for long distance commuters and students to vote…..
I smell a rat
No!! No!! No!!
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