EVERY EVENING, THEJOURNAL.IE brings you the latest news and campaign moves, squabbles and – hopefully – useful tidbits of information as we face into the 31 May Fiscal Compact referendum.

(If you just want to make up your mind by yourself, you can read TheJournal.ie‘s layman’s guide to the treaty).

WHAT’S NEW?

• TheJournal.ie was at the Irish Life building in Dublin for the Last Word referendum debate on Today FM, liveblogging the proceedings minute-by-minute. It got quite heated between the speakers at times – so check out all the excitement here.
• Notably, during the debate Jobs Minister Richard Bruton suggested that Ireland could seek to hold a second referendum if the country rejects the Fiscal Compact treaty on 31 May – before later retracting that statement .
• The National Women’s Council held their debate on the Stability Treaty this morning, where women were urged to vote Yes by Dublin Labour MEP Emer Costello.  She said that Europe “has been an overwhelmingly positive experience for Irish women” due to directives on equal pay, anti-sex discrimination and maternity rights.
• The latest poll on the upcoming referendum shows that 35 per cent of referendum voters ‘don’t know’ how they will vote. The new Millward Brown Lansdowne poll for the Irish Independent showed that 37 per cent intend to vote yes, while 24 per cent will say No to the Treaty.
• Irish NGOs have made a submission to the Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs, calling for greater public debate about Ireland’s position in key European decisions that will impact people in Ireland.
• Paypal has pledged its backing of a Yes vote, according to Louth Labour TD Gerald Nash. He said that the company’s Vice-President Louise Phelan, “gave a very positive account of why job creators such as PayPal want to see the Treaty supported by the Irish people” at an event in Dundalk today.
• Speaking at a public Fiscal Treaty Information Forum organised by Irish not-for-profit organisation European Movement Ireland in Dublin this morning, David Begg, General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), said that he believed Europe is on course to becoming increasingly more integrated and “we [Ireland] can’t afford to be left without a seat when the music stops”. Jim Power, economist and commentator, argued that a rejection of the Treaty would force Irish citizens into a position where we “discover what austerity really means”.  Businesswoman Glenna Lynch argued that a ‘No’ vote would force Europe to pay more than “democratic lip service” to its citizens.  Also at the debate, UCC lecturer and political analyst, Dr Jane Suiter, revealed Ireland’s poor performance in rankings of overall knowledge about Europe.

KNOCKBACK OF THE DAY:

Shane Ross proposed a bill to allow a delay to the referendum – but his suggestion was dismissed by the Tánaiste.

The discussion took place in the Dáil today, when Ross said he had written a bill which would offer the government the chance to change the referendum date if events necessitated it. But Labour leader Eamon Gilmore dismissed the suggestion 0utright, saying it was an “extreme measure” when Ross “can’t even make up his mind as to how to vote on the Treaty”.

TEAMS OF THE DAY:

(Hugh O’Connell/TheJournal.ie)

A shot straight from the scene of the Last Word referendum debate. You can catch up on all the action here.

T-SHIRT OF THE DAY:

Fancy showing off your opinion on both Euro 2012 and the treaty referendum? Well now you can, thanks to this t-shirt designed by Fergus O’Neill. According to O’Neill, “you’ll get two years” out of the t-shirt, which is available to buy here.

POINTED GIFT OF THE DAY

Declan Ganley of Libertas turned up at Government Buildings in Dublin today clutching a copy of 52 Great Poker Tips: At home, at tournament and online. (Pic via Mary Minihan on Twitter)

According to John McGuirk on Twitter, Ganley dropped the book into Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Was he giving him tips on poker faces – or ‘gently’ suggesting the referendum is gambling on Ireland’s future?

Read in full: The Fiscal Compact treaty in layman’s terms (PDF)

In full: TheJournal.ie‘s coverage of the Fiscal Compact referendum