FOREIGN Affairs Minister Micheal Martin has described the trend for the 'Yes' side as "very positive" -- based partly on feedback from Mass-goers.Mr Martin said he was struck by the change in mood since last year's Lisbon Treaty referendum while campaigning outside churches last weekend.
"There was a much different attitude this time than there was 12 months ago. People are wanting leaflets, making it very clear they were voting 'Yes'. But there's a long road to go," he said.
Mr Martin was speaking after Fianna Fail held a session in Athlone on its Lisbon Treaty campaign, which featured speeches by Microsoft Ireland managing director Paul Rellis and IMPACT union general secretary Blair Horan.
He said the 'Yes' side has been successful in communicating the legal guarantees obtained from EU member states on abortion, taxation, neutrality, and retaining Ireland's EU Commissioner.
"The polls are showing about 60pc awareness of the guarantees, which is good but we want to increase that level of awareness," he said.
Mr Martin admitted the claim by anti-Lisbon group Coir that the Lisbon Treaty could result in the national minimum wage dropping from €8.60 to €1.84 was causing concern.
Promise
"We have work to do in terms of exposing the fact that that's basically not true," he said.
Mr Martin said there were no plans to change the minimum wage -- despite a call from businessman Peter Quinn for it to be cut in a speech at Fianna Fail's Athlone meeting.
However, he did not match the promise made by Fine Gael enterprise spokesman Leo Varadkar to introduce collective bargaining rights for workers if the Lisbon Treaty was passed.
Mr Martin also dismissed suggestions from Libertas leader Declan Ganley that the EU would have complete control over foreign direct investment due to further powers it would gain in this area in the Lisbon Treaty. Mr Martin said this was "absolute nonsense" because the State retained control of its own industrial policy.
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Brian Cowen has made it clear he would make no decision on a replacement for current EU Commissioner Charlie McCreevy before the second Lisbon Treaty referendum on October 2.
He said it was a matter of getting a 'Yes' vote to ensure the State retained its Commissioner before making any such decision.
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