Cowen 'Unequivocal' No Vote Would Cost Jobs

In his most blunt address on the upcoming Lisbon vote yet, the Taoiseach has said he is "unequivocal" that a 'No' vote would cost Ireland jobs.

Speaking yesterday at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs, Brian Cowen said a defeat in the October 2 referendum would be throwing away "an important opportunity to help ourselves."

The Taoiseach said: "I am unequivocal in my view that a No vote in October would cost us jobs.

"The Irish heads of many multinational companies here, like Jim O’Hara of Intel, Paul Rellis of Microsoft and Shane O’Neill of UPC, are crystal clear on this point: reluctance to endorse the Lisbon Treaty, and a consequent perception we are somewhat a-la-carte in terms of our commitment to Europe, will make the task of attracting and securing inward investment – and the jobs that it supports – more difficult."

Mr Cowen also said he felt it was highly significant the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, and the country’s largest trade union, SIPTU, are supporting a YES vote.

"They see that a YES vote is a vote for jobs and employment rights, and so do I," he said.

Mr Cowen criticised the groups that have decided to campaign against the treaty, accusing them of creating "bogeymen", saying they would do well to listen to the employers’ representative groups, to the exporters of Ireland, to the farmers’ representative groups, and to the employers themselves.

Speaking yesterday, Sinn Fein, the only major Irish Party opposed to implementation of the treaty accused those behind the "Yes Campaign" of scare-mongering about a No vote affecting Ireland's status and influence in the EU.

Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún said the European Commission President José Manuel Barroso had removed one of the main arguments of Yes campaigners in an answer to one of Ms De Brun's questions, by saying there will be no discrimination against Irish people if there is a second No vote on the Lisbon Treaty.

(DW/KMcA)