'No' vote campaigner and Sinn Fein Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.

A Cavan-Monaghan TD has said that the EU Fiscal Treaty, if passed, will give "constitutional protection around harsh fiscal measures".

'No' vote campaigner and Sinn Fein Deputy Caoimhghín O Caoláin was speaking in a Dail debate on what he calls 'the austerity treaty' on Thursday (today, May 24).

"Make no mistake, it has already been said that irrespective of what complexion any future government may be made up of, it will not have the ability to reverse from a situation that we will find ourselves in post a 'Yes' vote next week," he said.

He said a 'Yes' vote will put the country on an "irreversible" path to further debt.

In a recent Anglo Celt online poll which asked if people understood what was in the treaty, given five options, an overall majority of people (almost 52 per cent) answered 'Yes and I'm voting 'No''. Of those who said they, firstly, understood the treaty and, secondly, were going to vote the figures read 36.7 per cent 'Yes' with 63.3 per cent 'No'.

The five answers were as follows:

Not a clue - as impenetrable as Joyce's Ulysses - 12.4%

Sort of - but not enough to vote either way - 2.9%

Yes, and I'm voting 'Yes' - 29.9%

Yes, and I'm voting 'No' - 51.8%

I don't intend to vote - 2.9%

Voting on the referendum takes place on Thursday, May 31.