TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY has urged the public to make a further contribution to Ireland’s economic recovery by voting Yes in Thursday’s referendum on the Fiscal Compact treaty.
In a televised address delivered this evening, Kenny said ratification of the treaty would “create stability in the Eurozone, which is essential for job creation”, and which was vital as Ireland sought to promote sustained economic growth.
Speaking from Government Buildings, the Taoiseach said passing the treaty – one of “the many foundation blocks” in the government’s economic policy – would help to “create the certainty and the stability that our country needs on the road to economic recovery”.
“It’s clear that the sacrifices that everyone is making are starting to make a difference,” Kenny said, saying the public finances were now under control, while unemployment and economic growth – albeit at levels which the government would seek to improve – had stabilised.
“We have proved that we are a country working hard to solve the economic crisis,” the Taoiseach added, arguing that this had led to international confidence in Ireland.
Kenny said ratifying the Treaty was the “best way of ensuring that the strong flow of investment” continued, and that it would ensure “good housekeeping rules” so that European countries would more routinely return balanced Budgets.
“Only a Yes vote will give Ireland guaranteed access to the EU’s permanent bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism, should Ireland require it,” Kenny elaborated, saying he wanted Ireland to have the same access to this fund as other eurozone members.
Hoping to elaborate on what he said was not contained in the Treaty, the Taoiseach said the Treaty could not affect Ireland’s corporation tax rate, and said none of its contents “would allow other countries to impose service charges or cuts on Ireland.”
Kenny had been invited to make the unprecedented address by RTÉ after it emerged that Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams would be using some of his leaders’ speech at the party’s Árd Fheis to argue in favour of a No vote.
RTÉ invited the Taoiseach to make a speech in favour of a Yes vote to counter this; the length of Kenny’s speech was determined by the amount of time that Adams devoted to the referendum out of his 25-minute speech last night.
The first voting in the referendum campaign will take place tomorrow, when a number of island voters go to the polls. Most of the country will be voting on Thursday, with a formal result expected by Friday afternoon.
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