Predictable stuff from social partner IBEC. Plenty of alarmist language and misinformation from our business elite.
Like generation yes they refer to the EU as our "safe harbour" in the global turmoil. This is blatent misinformation as we are full members of the EU under the current terms if we say no again.
They refer to a question mark over our relationship with the EU. More blatent misinformation as i am not aware of any government plan to renegotiate the terms of our membership.
Speaking of the crisis highlighting our "vulnerability" is just alarmism as is talk of "restoring our reputation".
The last bit refers to our EU membership as a "defining strength". Blatent misinformation as our EU membership is not in question.

This is an opening salvo for a yes campaign based almost exclusively on scaremongering. I for one am not looking forward to this, its going to be very ugly.

Lisbon 'essential to recovery' - Ibec - The Irish Times - Mon, Jun 15, 2009

an IBEC endorsement could be the kiss of death

Typical scaremongering from the elites. To imply that "our reputation" has been damaged by the no vote, rather than a corrupt political-party that created a housing-crash is an insult to our intelligence. The housing-slowdown began in Autumn 2007 - long before the no vote. Indeed on the day before the referendum, the Independent carried an article by Fionnan Sheehan warning that unemployment had soared to 200,000 and that therefore we should vote yes. The no vote did not cause the housing-crash, and it is utter nonsense to suggest otherwise. Do not forget the history of patronage in the EU institutions for Irish figures in IBEC/IFA/SIPTU etc. who support ratification of EU treaties in Irish referendum campaigns. This is especially the case with respect to the European Economic and Social Council. What does that suggest to you about the motives of members of the elite outside of politics who attempt to persuade us to transfer our sovereignty to people the Irish people do not elect in Brussels?

European Economic and Social Council (Irish membership) (2008):

Employers Group:·
Harry Byrne – Guinness Pension Scheme Trustees·
Clare Carroll – Consultant on Employment Affairs ·
Thomas MacDonagh –International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

Employees Group:·
Joan Carmichael - Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)·
William Attley – Former General Secretary SIPTU·
Jim McCusker - Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance

Special Interests Group (Agriculture, Women and Youth organisations):·
Frank Allen –Former President Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) ·
John Donnelly – Former President of the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA)·
Jillian van Turnhout – Former President of National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI)

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Then I look forward to this wave of scaremongering being countered by a No campaign based entirely on positive messages or, at worst, well-founded warnings.

Because scaremongering is bad enough when both sides are at, and even worse when both sides engage in the hypocrisy of pretending that only their opponents are mongering scares.

EDIT TO WONDER: is predicting a scaremongering campaign from one's opponents itself an act of scaremongering? Clearly, both sides are going to be mongering more scares than a Pentagon official with a war to justify.

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Romanes eunt domus

I would not pay any attention to those Ibec(iles)!

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Knowledge is power.

Economic Left/Right: -0.25
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.97

In 2009
Economic Left/Right: -2.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.26

I think it could be pretty toxic. All the No side have to do is to point to the fact that IBEC is majorly funded by our main banks, including Anglo-Irish, whom are in debted to the government.

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Seabhcan on EU Enlargement and the Lisbon Treaty: "There is no shortage of cheap labour - Turkey isn't needed."

Remember: When Spain voted yes, unemployment doubled. Put it on the leaflets and support for the no side will grow and grow. The economy will be key to the outcome of the referendum. For the no side that means telling the people that Lisbon will make things worse.

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And what happened when Ireland voted No?

You should really count to ten before hitting Submit Reply.

Also, I agree that the economy (and fears about the economy) will be key to the outcome. But for all the failures of Ireland's business class, they still speak with far more authority on the subject than the No side. That will be especially true when representatives of American investors are press-ganged into muttering darkly about the consequences of another No vote.

The No side hasn't a chance this time around; for all the disgust and distrust towards Official Ireland, people are too scared to take a risk.

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Romanes eunt domus

Both are right sadly, no matter what we vote, life is about to get even worse.

Welcome to the 21st century.

You're hardly in a position to give out about others scaremongering, Eurosceptic.....

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"The elites are mostly wrong" says FutureTaoiseach. But FutureTaoiseach is also mostly wrong. Does that mean the elites are mostly right?