The Government's decision to allow citizens from new EU member-states to work in Ireland immediately after joining the union was "not relevant" to the Nice Treaty, the No campaigner Mr Anthony Coughlan admitted yesterday.
However, he said it was valid to raise the issue as it was "relevant to the cost of enlargement".
At the launch of the National Platform's referendum campaign literature, Mr Coughlan, who is secretary of the group, rejected as "nonsense" claims that he was being xenophobic by calling for a debate on the immigration issue.
"If the big states like the UK and Germany are worried about enlargement and its effect on their labour markets, why shouldn't Ireland be? The idea that only a trickle are going to come here is ridiculous when you are going to have an open market."
Mr Coughlan first raised the issue last month when he criticised the Government for agreeing to allow the citizens of new member-states to work in Ireland "from day one" of their EU accession when, he claimed, some other members-states had not.
"It's not relevant to Nice but it is relevant to enlargement. We are not opposed to enlargement but there may be citizens around the country who may be opposed."
Asked if he believed he was creating an argument which could be used by the anti-immigration lobby, he replied: "Not as such . . . What we need is an honest debate about the cost of enlargement."
The Government's commitment on freedom of movement was cited by Mr Coughlan as one of three acts of "gross political irresponsibility" which, he said, warranted the resignation from office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen.
The other two were Mr Cowen's decision to advise the Government to rerun the Nice Treaty referendum, "with a view to overthrowing last year's perfectly valid and fair constitutional referendum result", and his decision to urge other EU member-states to ratify the treaty on the assumption that a Yes vote would be returned.
The immigration issue has caused division within the No camp with some campaigners accusing others of scaremongering by talking of "floods" of migrant workers coming to Ireland from eastern Europe.
The Socialist Workers Party is hosting a public meeting at 8 p.m. tonight entitled "Yes to Immigration, No To Nice" at the Clifton Court Hotel, Eden Quay, Dublin. Speakers include Mr Andy Storey of the campaign group AFrI.
Also speaking at the National Platform event yesterday was the former prime minister of Malta, Dr Karmenu Bonnici, who said the Nice Treaty would create a two-tier Europe by weighing the EU's decision-making powers in favour of the bigger countries.
Dr Bonnici, who is leader of the Maltese Labour Party, which is campaigning against the country joining the EU on current accession terms, said the union's creation of the European Rapid Reaction Force was perceived as antagonistic by Malta's neighbouring Islamic countries. "In the eyes of countries outside the EU, the ERRF is viewed as a force designed to be used against them."
The National Platform has said ratification of the treaty would give the EU "direct responsiblity" for the force.
The National Platform's Mr Anthony Coughlan, speaking on immigration from the proposed new EU member states:
- "I think you can be quite in favour of enlargement, as we are, but feel it is irresponsible to approve a quite major extension of citizen rights without any debate, or without consulting the Dáil."
- "What the Government has committed us to is an extraordinary burden of responsibility."
- "If the Germans and British are concerned about heavy migration from Europe than surely we should be too."
- "The idea that only a trickle (of immigrants from new EU member states) are going to come here is ridiculous."
- "People are saying because I have drawn attention to this issue I am a xenophobe, which is nonsense."
