Dear Voter,

No country can manage on its own. Ireland is no exception. This is clearer now than it was twelve months ago. I would not be asking you again to vote Yes on this Treaty unless I believed it was very important. Ireland needs the good will and cohesion of Europe at this critical time.

We could not have withstood the threat to our entire
financial system in the past year without the support of
Europe. We cannot rebuild job opportunities in our economy
without winning more sales in European markets. We must
protect our influence in Europe.

Ireland can achieve far more by sharing power with
other countries than we could ever achieve on our own.
This is obviously true on major global issues like Climate
Change, oil shortages and drug trafficking. But it is also true
of job protection. We need the mutual support of a European
stimulus programme. We need Europe to stop protectionism and other “Beggar Your Neighbour” policies that hurt small countries. Europe holds the key.

Nothing that Ireland sought in the Lisbon negotiations has been refused. We now have a better deal. To reject the Treaty now would hurt our own interests most of all.

Regards,

Richard