THERE WAS "no question" of Ireland's EU partners seeking to put pressure on the Government over the Lisbon Treaty, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin told the Subcommittee on Ireland's Future in the European Union at Leinster House yesterday.
Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald said the Minister's assertion that the treaty could not be renegotiated was "disingenuous" because the Government had not, in fact, sought renegotiation.
In his opening statement, Mr Martin said: "The Taoiseach and I, in our various discussions with other member states, have been shown the greatest respect and understanding.
"There is an appreciation that the result of the referendum reflected serious and genuinely held concerns, and that it has consequences not just for Ireland, but for the EU as a whole.
"There is no question of anybody seeking to pressurise us. However, it is very clear that, with the process of ratification now well-advanced, there is also no question of being able to renegotiate the treaty.
"To do so would be to oblige all of those who have already ratified to go back to square one. After the many long years of negotiation, there is simply no appetite for this," the Minister said.
Criticising the Government's approach, Ms McDonald said: "Let's not play games here. Please don't come to the subcommittee and say something isn't possible when you have not actually sought a renegotiation." She added that it was "deeply misleading" for the Minister to suggest that the referendum result was the cause of any difficulties for Ireland in attracting foreign direct investment.
She expressed the hope "that this committee and the Oireachtas committee on the Constitution won't be a ruse to set aside the need for a referendum".
Rejecting Ms McDonald's claims, subcommittee chairman Senator Paschal Donohoe of Fine Gael said: "There is nothing cynical at all about the work of myself or my colleagues."
The Minister said he was disappointed with the "strong personal nature" of the Sinn Féin MEP's remarks. "I would argue that it is deeply dishonest to pretend to the Irish people that you can renegotiate the Lisbon Treaty," he added.
Independent Senator Rónán Mullen said the concern expressed by some people that abortion could be imposed on Ireland through the EU "may not be quite misplaced". He added: "There may yet be areas where judicial activism might yet impose something."
Mr Martin replied that "member states are well aware of the Irish position in relation to abortion".
He said there was "no desire of any member state to impose anything on us in relation to abortion".
Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley asked the chairman if an invitation had been issued to the anti-Lisbon organisation Libertas to meet the subcommittee and Senator Donohoe replied: "We have issued an invitation and they have not responded."
