Ahern makes fresh plea for support of Nice

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has issued a fresh plea for the electorate to endorse the Nice Treaty in the upcoming referendum.

Insisting there is a strong economic basis for supporting the treaty, Mr Ahern challenged the No campaign to produce evidence to the contrary.

Mr Ahern warned that a rejection of the treaty would lead to a diminishment of Ireland's influence in future discussions on issues of importance to the Irish economy. He said successes in such areas as the CAP, EU structural and cohesion funding and taxation legislation were due to our perceived position as centrally involved in Europe.

"A No to Nice will dilute that influence at a time when decisions on issues which go right to the heart of out economic well-being are looming," he said, citing the talks that began today on CAP reform and the next WTO round as examples.

Ireland still receives substantially more from EU coffers than it contributes, he pointed out.

To reject the treaty would be a mistake leading to "economic isolation", while accepting it would send a clear message that Ireland "believes in Europe’s future".

He also warned that a No vote would cost jobs by putting our trade links with the accession countries in jeopardy. Irish exports to these states has grown by over 700 per cent to more than €1 billion annually since 1994, he said.

"A perceived retreat through a No vote from full commitment to the single European market, and to the expansion of that market by enlargement, would give a negative signal to foreign investors and would be exploited by our competitors for foreign direct investment," Mr Ahern asserted.