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?

• It’s polling day today if you live on one of five islands in Donegal – Inishfree, Arranmore, Gola, Inishboffin and Tory Island – where people cast their ballots three days before the rest of the country. We took a look at how things unfolded in the temporary polling stations, some of which were in people’s homes.
• Who’s the most popular leader in the country right now? According to today’s Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll, that person is Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams. The poll also found that satisfaction with the government parties has increased, but satisfaction with both Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has declined.
• The European Movement Ireland has called on all sides to focus on “just the facts” of what is contained in the Treaty and what the tangible implications of a Yes or a No vote are likely to be. Its Executive Director said that a “worryingly high” number of respondents in a recent poll said they are unsure of how they will vote.
• (Note: TheJournal.ie will be publishing the answers to readers’ questions about the wording of the treaty tomorrow. We will have answers from the independent European Policy Centre, the Referendum Commission, as well as from the ‘No’ and ‘Yes’ camp on the same 10 questions posed by YOU.)
• A survey by the MBA Association of Ireland (MBAAI) of its members found that 68 per cent intend to vote ‘Yes’ on Thursday, 15 per cent plan to vote No, and a further 17 per cent are undecided.
• A survey by the Small Firms Association has indicated that the majority of its members believe a ‘Yes’ vote is likely in the referendum – 83 per cent, in fact. The survey also revealed that 95 per cent of respondents agreed that the Treaty will give confidence to invest and create jobs in Ireland and that it will help to stabilise not just the EU, but the euro currency.
• Funding from the European Stability Mechanism was the subject of clashing between campaigners on either side of the debate during RTÉ’s Today with Pat Kenny show this morning. The Socialist Party’s Clare Daly said that any of the 17 Eurozone countries can block an application to the ESM, whereas Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin said that it was clear that legally Ireland won’t have access to the ESM if the country votes No.

BIG HURLEY IN YOUR FACE-OFF OF THE DAY

(Image: Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland)

VS

(Image: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)

The Socialist Party’s new sports-themed campaign poster has been unveiled – and somewhat unfortunately, Taoiseach Enda Kenny wielded a hurley while announcing new jobs at BuyersClub.ie today. Ouch.

GIANT PINK BANNER OF THE DAY

Deputy Mick Wallace has overseen a large banner put up above one of his restaurants in Dublin’s Italian Quarter on Ormond Quay, calling for people to vote No. Wallace said that the treaty “does nothing to deal with the cause of the present economic crisis – reckless practice on the part of financial institutions”.

POLLING STATION OF THE DAY

(Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire)

Most polling stations have queues of people wanting to cast their vote – but the only person queuing up on Inishfree was the island’s sole occupant, artist Barry Edgar Pilcher. Looking on was Hugh O’Donnell (right), the Presiding Officer. Pilcher was one of the people living on islands off the coast of Donegal who were able to cast their vote in European Fiscal Treaty Referendum today. Pilcher’s polling station was located… in his living room.

Read in full: The Fiscal Compact Treaty in laymans’ terms (PDF)>

Read more: TheJournal.ie’s coverage of the Fiscal Compact referendum>

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