REFERENDUM NOTEBOOK:Eurosceptic MEPs will today, quite deliberately it seems, try to "sex up" the referendum debate by planting some of their most photogenic representatives in front of the cameras in Dublin.
The Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group invites “valued” members of the media to an event in the Shelbourne Hotel, where it will launch its leaflet campaigning for a No vote. The missive will be delivered to every house in the country, the group says.
Four or five of the group’s MEPs will be present, journalists are informed.
The photocall notice adds: “Should be good for photo op with good looking Danish MEP and female assistant”.
That same good-looking member of the parliament, with a delightful name to match, is Morten Messerschmidt (below). The lovely female assistant is not named. Mr Messerschmidt’s thoughts on the treaty are in an article today on page 14.
Yes vote best for business, say company executives
A survey of chief executives by the business body Ibec finds 83 per cent believe a Yes vote will have a positive impact on inward investment. Some 90 per cent believe a Yes vote is important to the future prosperity of their business, the body said.
Some 87 per cent of the business executives believed a No vote would limit Ireland’s ability to do business in Europe. Ibec noted that over 60 per cent of exports from Ireland are to the EU.
The survey, conducted in the first two weeks of this month, is based on replies from over 400 chief executives.
Ibec said the dangerous instability in Greece “reinforced the need for Ireland to pass the treaty and dispel any concerns about the future funding of the country”.
In February, before the referendum was announced, some 73 per cent of those surveyed by Ibec believed ratification of the treaty as important to the future prosperity of their business. This figure had hardened to 90 per cent.