Republican News · Thursday 17 October 2002

Who is telling the blatant lie?

BY ROBBIE MacGABAHANN

As the referendum debate enters its last days, the stakes for the coalition grew ever higher, leading to Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern accusing the No campaign of telling "blatant lies" about the neutrality elements of the Nice Treaty.

However, ther response from Sinn Féin TDs Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Arthur Morgan shows conclusively that the blatant lies are being told by Fianna Fáil.

Speaking at a press conference in Dublin on Tuesday, Ó Snodaigh said the Seville Declaration had no legal basis and that neutrality should be enshrined in the constitution. He read journalists the segments from the Dublin government's own white paper on Nice, which says that a declaration "does not have legal force" but expresses the "political intention of the signatories".

Arthur Morgan said the Seville Declaration amounted to a confidence trick designed to give the impression of something it's not.

"The Seville Declaration does not change one iota of the Nice Treaty. It is merely a political fig leaf given by the other EU heads of state to cover Messrs Ahern and Cowen's embarrassment", he said.

Ahern and Cowen have "a lot to be embarrassed about", he said. "While expounding on the virtues of their declaration that they claim will copperfasten and protect Irish neutrality ,US war planes, busily preparing to bring further conflict to the Middle East, are refueling and taking part in training exercises from Shannon Airport on an almost daily basis."

Morgan said the government cannot be trusted on the neutrality issue. He said, "They have engaged in a massive campaign of misinformation and blackmail regarding neutrality to get the Treaty passed. What is needed is a proper constitutional guarantee to protect Irish neutrality. This needs to be done regardless of the Treaty of Nice."