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    Irish voters would back EU fiscal treaty - poll

    DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish voters would narrowly back a proposed European Union treaty to tighten budget rules if it was put to a referendum, an opinion poll showed on Saturday, but a quarter of those questioned said they were still undecided.

    European leaders are expected to agree on the fiscal compact on Monday in a bid to regain market confidence in the public finances of the 17 countries sharing the euro.

    Irish citizens, who are entitled to vote on any major transfers of powers to Brussels, are seen as one of the biggest obstacles to overhaul of the bloc. They have twice rejected changes to EU treaties before voting through amended versions.

    Forty percent of the 1,000 people questioned in the Sunday Business Post/Red C poll said they would vote in favour of the treaty, with 36 percent opposed. Twenty-four percent said they did not yet know how they would vote.

    The government has said it will seek legal advice before deciding whether to hold a referendum, but 72 percent of those polled said the treaty should go to a vote.

    EU officials agreed to the new treaty in December, aiming to push ahead with deeper economic integration and tackle a euro zone debt crisis.

    (Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Ben Harding)

     

    82 comments

    • stuart w  •  Dublin, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      The above article is wholly inaccurate. When Ireland voted on both the Nice and Lisbon treaties those treaties were UNCHANGED for the second referendums. The guff and so-called 'guarantees' did NOT change one letter in the Lisbon Treaty.

      Also, the above article contradicts anecdotal evidence and general public opinion.
    • Diarmuid  •  Cork, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      Giving more power to Europe will erode any democratic rights that we have left.In a democracy like the last vote we had on the treaty we were told to vote again because it would affect jobs etc,& now we are reaping the rewards,so much for peoples democratic rights,to quote Gilmore "Frankfurt's way or Our way"has a hollow ring to it.The Bilderberg group & their likes pull the strings not the politicians who have very little fiscal expertise.
    • Richard  •  Bournemouth, England  •  28 days ago
      ...and of course the sale of Ireland to the lowest bidder is well advanced by its crooked politicians, of every hue. Not only has its off-shore oil been given away for free, its forests are currently being handed over to a foreign power for mere pennies.
      Ireland has long been cursed with crooked politicians, kept in place by a corrupt Judiciary and compliant police force.
      Every Irish person knows the names of the former leader who was behind this massive fraud.
    • Anthony Gallagher  •  Dublin, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      i dont believe for one minute this poll,their is untoled anger on the streets ,this is the usuall spin comming from government backed polsterand marketing agencies.if there is a referendum and i believe there will ,it will be unanamously defeated .you can fool some of the people some of the time ,you can fool all of the peolple some of the time but you cant fool all of the peolple all of the time ,down with a united europe ,down with a big brother super state ,up the republic
    • tony stacey  •  Dublin, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      its funny that look at all the comments i dont see not one yes i smell a rat without a doubt this vote will be riged
    • Longbow  •  Dundalk, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      We know the routine ,,hold a referendum and if the answers not right hold it again ..the E.U has been a failure ,,the only sticking plaster that can hold the mess together is as septic and rancid as the undemocratic european project.
    • Diarmuid  •  Cork, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      we are paying the bondholders who bought the bonds @ a discount & made a killing while they shut down wards in hospitals & health insurance if you can afford it has gone up by 50% with some providers.We need someone with balls like Michael O Leary to sort out the mess or we will spend the next 20years paying back for something that is not our fault.Noonan & Kenny should go back to the classroom,how many in the Dail gave up well paying jobs to pull on the green jersey that we the taxpayers pay to have them washed.Salary guidelines for advisors broken 6 time by present Govt @ a cost of €3.4m this year to tell us how to get out of the #$%$ that we are up to our necks in & slowly sinking.God help us
    • stephen  •  Dublin, Ireland  •  27 days ago
      Who the hell is writing this rubbish, the general feeling out there is that this traitorous govt
      do not have a cat in hells cjhance of getting this passed. And what do they expect after the lies the Irish have endured for the past decade. If this passes, then shame on every single Irish person!
    • joe  •  Cork, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      This is the same media bull sh## and propaganda you see all the time in the media ask any man on the street and see what the answer is to that question .If we do get a referendum on this matter we as citizens who want our votes counted are going to have to do exit polls because I believe they will try to rig this vote .We must stand up and be counted so our voice is heard .
    • Martin  •  Dublin, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      Ireland should be more self sufficient and as long as we stay on a sinking boat we'll never be.
    • terence  •  Tralee, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      More propaganda from the spin doctors. Enoch Powell M.P. (R.I.P.) said that there was going to be trouble over the amount of immgrants to the U.K. In the end he turned out to be right, there was and still is trouble in the streets of England. A vote in favour of closer fiscal integration would not only ruin Ireland it will give France and Germany more power over the country. Enda Kenny has sold the country for his 30 pieces of silver how much more can the Irish citizens dig out of their pockets? It's time to stand up and regain control of before the super powers of France and Germany take over. A NO vote would send the message loud and clear that we no longer want to be part of the European Community.
    • the wonderer  •  Dublin, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      Here we go again.More eurobull.If you don't vote yes the world will explode etc etc! No they'll just have another vote ,or two.That's democracy ,euro style.Never take no for an answer!
    • Shane  •  27 days ago
      Lies. I cant see Irish people say yes to this, Country is run by corrupt politicians and corrupt media to back them up.
    • john  •  Dublin, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      we can all send a clear message without a referendum. Support the anti septic tank,property charge and water charge tax marches, get off your chairs and do something for once rather than talking about it
    • Anthony  •  Dublin, Ireland  •  27 days ago
      Have you ever noticed when you get to close to the mark with a comment its removed.
    • conan  •  Dublin, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      Last time we voted they said it was for jobs,this time its the stick..if u dont vote your not in Europe Each time we vote yes the institutions become less democratic.
      Theyare using the credit crisis as an excuse , instead of proper reform, good management,accountability.
      Sad to say because i believe in a europe of nation states with free trade, movement of people.But now it is run by... i dont know,
    • tom  •  Dublin, Ireland  •  27 days ago
      Bring on the referendum , the government will get one hell of a suprise
    • Artist  •  Dublin, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      PROPOGANDA STATE
    • Bren  •  Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  •  28 days ago
      Nothing is more important than freedom and independence. --- Ho Chi Minh.
    • Heather  •  Dublin, Ireland  •  28 days ago
      I'd like to see it actually come to a referendum first. The EU will do everything to prevent it.