Preparing for European treaty vote

Sir, – Does anyone know why this meaningless referendum was foisted on us in the first place?

Sir, – Does anyone know why this meaningless referendum was foisted on us in the first place?

A Yes equals austerity and a No equals austerity (with a possible added sting). So a vote for No is (at best) a vote for Yes. It’s absurd, but it’s the banks wot donit and there’s no escape. – Yours, etc,

PASCAL ROSENSTOCK,

Glasthule Buildings,

Sandycove,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – I have received my copy of the stability treaty.

Conscious of the importance of the referendum required to adopt this treaty; Desiring to play my part by making a fully informed decision; Bearing in mind that important developments in European politics will affect the future of the treaty and its implementation; Taking note that there is significant obfuscation on both sides of the issue; Recalling the futility of some previous referendum outcomes; Noting the unreliability of all political parties with regard to pre-poll statements, promises, and commitments; Stressing that I have not made my mind up on the issue as yet; I have decided on the following course of action: if the Irish Government persists in its decision to hold this referendum on May 31st I will not vote; to do so would be to participate in pig-in-the-poke politics.

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I can see no sufficient reason why this referendum should not be postponed until the political and economic situation in several significant European countries becomes clearer. – Yours, etc,

FRANK M FLANAGAN,

Clareview,

Limerick.