Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)

However, there will be no point in trying to get the Government's message across using such social media outlets unless people can understand it, which is an extremely important point. I understand that a postcard is to be distributed to every household nationwide and I hope it will explain the treaty, rather than leaving voters more confused. I also hope that Government Deputies will be out campaigning for a "Yes" vote this time.

William Butler Yeats once wrote "all changed, changed utterly", and how true this is of the period since the last Lisbon referendum was put to the people. The position has changed radically over the past 12 months. More people are unemployed and inflation has fallen by 4.7%, the sharpest decline since 1933. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak and I look forward to working with my Fine Gael colleagues and my colleagues from County Clare on the benches opposite to ensure that Clare again votes "Yes" in the referendum on 2 October.

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