LABOUR PARTY doubts over the value of a second referendum on Lisbon have not been eased by the package agreed by the European Council in Brussels last week, its spokesman on Europe said yesterday.
Joe Costello TD said the party was deeply disappointed that the Government had received only “vague assurances” on workers’ rights and social policy at the European Council in Brussels last week.
Mr Costello told a public meeting in Dublin that as of now, Labour cannot guarantee its support for the referendum next year.
He referred to party leader Eamon Gilmore’s comments that it would oppose the holding of a second referendum unless new proposals put before the people were significantly different to Lisbon One.
“As it stands, we are not satisfied that there are significant advances to this area of greatest concern to us,” he said.
He continued that the party had yet to receive full details and confirmation from Taoiseach Brian Cowen as to what had been agreed on workers’ rights at the two-day summit last week.
“We have not got a final answer. We need to get confirmation from the Taoiseach as to what has been agreed,” he said.
“If there’s no progress in [securing] assurances and guarantees to workers rights and services, then we do not see the value in having a second referendum.”
Mr Costello was speaking at the meeting organised by the European Commission Representation in Ireland (ECRI). Minister of State for European Affairs Dick Roche was also due to speak but was one of nine people held at gunpoint during an armed raid in Co Wicklow.
Responding to Mr Costello’s comments, Martin Territt, the director of ECRI, said that there was a need to talk to the commissioner for social affairs Vladimir Spidla around the issues concerning workers rights.
Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins argued that the Government was now preparing to launch a massive propaganda campaign to justify what he said would be the consequences of Lisbon, which included taxes on worker’s wages, and changes in living standards.
He said that pro-Lisbon proponents were using “any old excuse” to justify it, including the claim that it would have helped tackle the financial crisis.
“This is false. Lisbon has a neoliberal agenda that is causing the world disaster,” he said.
He also rebuked the Government and media for a “vast conspiracy” to overturn last June’s decision. “The media have decided which opponents of the Lisbon Treaty they will promote to suit their agenda,” he said.
“Most media have calculatedly reported [Declan] Ganley [of Libertas] as leader of the No campaign. He is not, and was not, the leader of the No campaign. He was only one of many components.”
“It suits the millionaire press to have one of their own as a main opponent just as Fine Gael and Labour are safe as the Opposition,” he added.
Fine Gael spokeswoman on European affairs Lucinda Creighton said her party has called for a new constitutional position akin to the Comptroller and Auditor General to protect the rights of Irish citizens in their dealings with Europe.
She also said that some of the “failings” of the EU identified by voters – such as the democratic deficit and lack of accountability – would be resolved if the treaty was ratified.
Irish Times columnist Sarah Carey said that circumstances have altered in the past six months.
“Maybe a No vote in good times was a smart decision. In a new environment and changing times maybe it’s alright to put forward the message that it’s okay to change our minds,” she said.