Vote not a foregone conclusion - Kenny

SLIGO MEETING:THE OUTCOME of the Lisbon referendum was not a foregone conclusion, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said yesterday.

However,  Mr Kenny said feedback from the public was “much more positive” than in the lead-up to the last referendum, and he conceded he was cautiously optimistic the treaty would be carried by “a strong Yes vote”.

Speaking in Sligo, Mr Kenny said he was not complacent, and his party was holding public meetings in 41 constituencies last night – “Cork and Kerry are exempt for obvious reasons” – in a bid to convince the voters.

He said the biggest threat to the Yes campaign was the public’s frustration with the Government, and he urged angry voters to “hold your fire” and not use Lisbon as a protest vote.

Mr Kenny and his entourage of local politicians and party workers got a warm reception at Sligo Institute of Technology yesterday, where he addressed about 400 students in the canteen.

Addressing the fact that people were being asked to vote again, Mr Kenny said Eamon de Valera had twice asked the people to vote on proportional representation and there was nothing unconstitutional about that.

Lisbon would give Ireland improved access to a market of 500 million customers and a place in the “sittingroom of Europe” as opposed to a  “back room”.