Poll shows increase in Lisbon Treaty support

A new poll has shown that support for the Lisbon Treaty has recovered slightly and the gap between the Yes and No sides has increased…

A new poll has shown that support for the Lisbon Treaty has recovered slightly and the gap between the Yes and No sides has increased from four points to ten.

However, over a third of voters remain undecided.

The Red C poll in today's Sunday Business Postshows that support for the Lisbon Treaty is at 38 per cent, an increase of three points from the last poll two weeks ago, while 28 per cent of voters say they would vote No, a fall of three points. Undecided voters remain at 34 per cent.

The poll also shows a slight lead of four points for the Yes side among farmers, which will be good news for the government, although a quarter of those polled remain undecided.

Today's poll will also be a welcome boost for new Taoiseach Brian Cowen, who stressed the importance of ratifying the Lisbon Treaty during his homecoming celebrations in Offaly yesterday.

He told reporters that his immediate priority was to ensure victory in the Lisbon Treaty referendum on June 12th.

"It is very important that we get a Yes vote. It is critically important to our strategic interest and to our national interest," he said.

The Red C poll showed a swing in favour of the treaty from Fine Gael voters, with 42 per cent saying they will vote Yes.

The poll results were welcomed by the Irish Alliance for Europe (IAE), who described the increase in support as highly significant.

IAE Director Brendan Kiely said the Alliance had stepped up their information campaign in recent weeks along with the launch of a Business Campaign Group advocating a Yes vote.

Separately,the Labour Party launched its campaign for ratification of the Treaty this afternoon with Eamon Gilmore claiming that the treaty would put more power in the hands of citizens.

"The Lisbon Treaty is first and foremost a citizens' Treaty," said Mr Gilmore.

"Whereas the Single European Act was about the internal market, Maastricht was about Economic and Monetary Union, and Nice was about enlargement, Lisbon is about creating a more democratic union. It will allow the citizens of Europe to build a citizens' Europe and a social Europe."