REACTION:SINN FÉIN MEP Mary Lou McDonald has accused the Government of hiding behind slogans in its campaign for a Yes vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum.
Speaking after Taoiseach Brian Cowen launched Fianna Fáil's campaign yesterday, Ms McDonald said the debate on the treaty should focus on the detail of the text.
"[The Government] has made much of saying that this is good for Ireland and good for Europe . . . I challenge them to come out and answer the specifics. Rather than hiding behind slogans let's have the full debate, let's discuss the detail of this treaty because this is not just a housekeeping exercise, this is a very important decision that people are being asked to make," she said.
Ms McDonald, whose party is the only Dáil party opposed to the treaty, accused two senior Government Ministers of appearing to be unaware of key issues relating to the treaty during RTÉ radio debates yesterday.
"Former enterprise minister [and current Minister for Foreign Affairs] Micheál Martin denied Ireland is losing the veto over the outcome of international trade agreements. Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea appeared unaware that Ireland will be unable to stop other EU states coming together in mini military alliances and operating in the name of the EU," she said.
"I find it unbelievable that a former minister for enterprise would be unaware of something that is so critically important to Irish business and farming. The fact is Ireland will lose its veto on trade agreements under article 188."
Responding to the Taoiseach's accusation that No campaigners were seeking to confuse voters on the issues, the Sinn Féin MEP said: "This is a little hard to swallow from a Government leader whose own Ministers do not appear to have a grasp on key elements and implications of the treaty. As good Europeans, our job as political representatives and citizens is to look very carefully at the detail of this text and make the right decision not just for Ireland but for the whole of the European Union which I firmly believe is a No vote."
Mr Martin later accused Sinn Féin of misleading voters, arguing that while the treaty allows the council - acting unanimously - to entrust a particular military mission to a smaller group of states, such missions can only be launched with the unanimous approval of all member states, regardless of whether they participate or not.
He stressed that Ireland's triple lock mechanism, which requires that any overseas mission has a UN mandate plus Government and Dáil approval before Irish soldiers take part, remains in place.
Trade unionist Kieran Allen described the treaty yesterday as "anti-worker and anti-trade union".
Mr Allen, who is a candidate for the post of general secretary of Siptu, urged the union to come out against the treaty, saying it undermined workers' rights.