The Republic has reached a crossroads in its relationship with the European Union, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, told the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party meeting in Killarney, Co Kerry, yesterday.
Demanding a full effort from every TD, senator and MEP within the party, Mr Ahern said: "The campaign to pass the treaty and to secure Ireland's place in Europe is not a Fianna Fáil campaign. It is a national campaign.
"But it is a national campaign that Fianna Fáil must play a vital role in winning. In every community and in every county we must go out - door to door - and explain to our neighbours why it is important for our future to vote Yes."
The decision to postpone discussion of the Nice Treaty until grumbles and complaints of Fianna Fáil TDs and senators about the State's finances were dealt with reaped dividends for the Taoiseach.
In his contribution, the Taoiseach emphasised that public spending would rise by "well over 14 per cent" this year and warned that such spending increases could not be sustained indefinitely.
Indicating that he had taken his share of political pain, he outlined the background to the Cabinet's decision to abandon the State's development of Abbotstown.
In his outspoken, but often humorous, contribution the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, bluntly pointed out the budgetary realities facing him as he prepares the 2002 Budget.
Despite the perception now, the Minister said, Fianna Fáil's general election manifesto promises were based on revenue growth continuing. "They were based on sane and sensible economic principles," he said.
Some of his Cabinet colleagues had expressed "astonishment" when they were shown the party's manifesto before the election campaign began. One asked him: "When are we going to have the real manifesto, with the goodies in it?"
"I said: 'There aren't any goodies in it. This is it'. People voted for sane and sensible policies. And they have proved time and time again that they are sensible," he told a press conference during a break in the two-day meeting.
Strongly defending the Taoiseach's leadership, Mr McCreevy pointed out that Mr Ahern had taken over when Fianna Fáil's support was at a low ebb.
One TD said: "He told us that there were 68 Fianna Fáil TDs when Bertie took over and now there are 81."
The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, and the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, acknowledged that backbenchers had been left in the dark about some developments over the summer.
The Taoiseach acknowledged that Fianna Fáil's press and information office had been left "with almost no staff" during the summer because of departures and promotions.
As he arrived in Killarney, Mr Ahern indicated, however, that he had little real sympathy for the complaints. He pointed out that TDs were back in Leinster House, unusually, in the early part of September.
This gave them an opportunity to get back up to speed. "During August there would not be an awful flow of information anyway. Ministers and backbenchers are just back," he said.
Outlining the hard choices facing the Cabinet, Mr Dempsey told colleagues that increases in college registration fees were partly caused by the need to find extra resources for special education.
However, both Mr Dempsey and Mr Martin promised more information to colleagues in future, although more seasoned backbenchers were doubtful last night that any real improvement would be made.
The vote in the Nice referendum, which will take place some time between the middle of October and the first week of November, is being closely watched throughout Europe, said the Taoiseach.
"The choice we make, more than any other single action we take as a people in the next few years, will decide our standing in the world and decide whether Ireland succeeds and moves ahead in the right direction.
"The question we confront at this new crossroads is what will follow in the future if we take the wrong road. I see the danger very clearly. The No road is the road to nowhere.
"Ireland will be damaged, permanently damaged, if we choose that dead end.
"We will have squandered goodwill and influence - for absolutely no good positive reason, economic, political or cultural.
"We will, above all, be showing a lack of confidence in our ability to hold our own in Europe. We will, in effect, be passing up an opportunity to consolidate our progress and prosperity in an enlarged Europe," said Mr Ahern.
