Gilmore warns against 'referendum on Fianna Fáil'

LABOUR:LABOUR PARTY leader Eamon Gilmore has appealed to the electorate not to turn the vote on the Lisbon Treaty into a "referendum on Fianna Fáil".

Speaking at his party’s final press conference ahead of the poll, Mr Gilmore said a Yes vote was essential for jobs, investment and economic recovery.

“We have to separate the anger that all of us feel at the way in which Fianna Fáil have been mismanaging the country’s affairs with what is an important decision for the country,” he said.

“It’s not a referendum on Fianna Fáil, it’s a referendum on the country’s relationship with Europe,” he said.

Asked if he thought there would be a general election in the event of a No outcome, Mr Gilmore said: “No.” He added: “I think that we have to separate entirely the question of a general election and the question of the referendum. This is a critical decision that has to be made in the country’s interest.”

Mr Gilmore said Ireland needed a strong relationship with its European partners, irrespective of who was in government after a general election. Labour would “return to deal with Fianna Fáil” on Saturday, he said.

The party’s referendum campaign director Joe Costello TD, said the No side was getting the “lion’s share” of undecided voters. “Despite our best efforts and despite the best efforts of other people on the Yes side, recent polls and indeed anecdotally show that the No side have been picking up the lion’s share of the undecided voters in quite many parts of the country,” Mr Costello said.

“That is a worrying trend. It’s more directed at the Government and we want to get the message out quite clearly that this is not a vote against the Government, this must be a vote for the Lisbon Treaty, for Europe and for Ireland.” Mr Costello said a “negative” result could not be contemplated.

The party’s deputy leader Joan Burton TD said women tended to be more reluctant than men to vote Yes.

“Women have been more reluctant, although marginally pro-Yes, partly because a lot of the women I meet are simply so angry over stuff like the Rody Molloy affair and other faults that they see in the Government,” she said.

However, Ms Burton said in the last few days many women were telling her they recognised a Yes vote would benefit the prospects of young graduates who were currently uncertain about getting jobs in Ireland.