February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
The question on everyone’s mind is, how many will voter? Last time around about two-thirds of Irish voters didn’t manage to make it to the polling centers, thus leaving the next stage of European integration stopped in its tracks and the reputation of the Irish government as an administration in touch with those it governed in something of a tattered state.
The polls this time around again point to a win for the “Yes” side. But that was the case last year, too. On that occasion, a significant number of undecided voters opted for “No” at the last minute, thus tilting the referendum result into the “No” camp’s welcoming hands.
The arguments for and against Nice have been flying back and forth for months now and no voter really has an excuse to plead ignorance at this late stage.
Concerns in the “No” camp over the potential emergence of a European superstate, one in which smaller nations like Ireland are consigned to the second tier of power and influence, would appear to be quite legitimate.
At the same time, ways will probably be found to expand and deepen the EU’s structures regardless of which way Ireland votes. In that context, it’s probably better to be inside arguing your corner than outside.
Many Irish voters will probably cast a “Yes” vote on Saturday thinking in these somewhat narrow terms.
But this is not a popularity contest. Marks are not being awarded for enthusiasm.
In the end, the raw numbers will decide the issue. It can only be hoped that a greater number of Irish voters make the effort to actually involve themselves in the decision process for “Nice Two.”
A low turnout would be an insult to a most serious political debate and to those millions of people whose countries see the EU as an escape from decades of foreign domination, stagnation and exclusion, all once the lot of Ireland itself.