Taoiseach throws down gauntlet to No campaign

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern yesterday urged No To Nice campaigners to explain how rejecting the EU treaty would benefit Ireland economically.

Mr Ahern’s comments came as fresh controversy arose over comments by President Mary McAleese in relation to the Treaty. This followed a similar row over comments by IDA chief executive Sean Dorgan that some of Ireland's 5bn overseas investment was at risk if voters reject Nice again in a new referendum in October.

The Taoiseach strongly defended the IDA boss’s right to comment on the issue. Mr Ahern supported his assertion that another No vote would signal to investors that Ireland was not committed to European enlargement and further integration: “Rather than engaging with the substance of Mr Dorgan’s contribution, the No side have attempted to silence him.”

Mr Ahern’s comments came as Green Party TD John Gormley told President McAleese to butt out of the Nice debate. Mr Gormley expressed suspicion that the Government may have been behind comments Mrs McAleese made to RTÉ news and on her visit to Greece.

In the course of a visit to Greece, Mrs McAleese told RTÉ news that Nice was pivotal for enlargement and Irish people supported extending EU membership to emerging European democracies. During a speech in Athens she said concerns over neutrality had been addressed at the recent EU summit in Seville.

Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy, however, said the president was an Irish citizen and he was sure, whatever her comments, she was within her rights to speak.

However, Labour leader Ruairí Quinn, whose party will campaign for a Yes vote during the referendum campaign, also questioned whether the President should be commenting on Nice at this time: “In advance of a referendum on this issue, special caution is called for. On issues of possible controversy such as this, the president is advised by the Government. On this occasion, the advice was not adequate.”

Commenting on the IDA boss’s comments, Mr Gormley said that it would be interesting to see if the Taoiseach would mount such a robust defence if Mr Dorgan had called for a No vote.