Lisbon committee kicks off with a row
Fine Gael chairman Senator Paschal Donohoe angrily accused Sinn Féin senator Pearse Doherty of branding him “dishonest” during its first meeting.
Mr Doherty denied the charge, saying he had been referring to the Government’s terms of reference for the committee as dishonest, not Mr Donohoe.
The all-party committee was set up to chart a way forward for Ireland in Europe after the voting down of the Lisbon treaty in June.
Mr Donohoe said the group of TDs and senators would have to work hard not to “bore” voters with its deliberations as it attempts to bring forward recommendations by the end of next month as pressure mounts within the EU for Ireland to devise a plan for its future relationship with the union.
Mr Doherty insisted Sinn Féin would combat any move to push a re-run of the Lisbon referendum.
“We will fight you tooth and nail should you cynically manipulate the committee against the democratic will of the people,” he said.
Mr Donohoe stressed the committee was tasked with four main objectives which include:
* Analysing the implications of the no vote.
* Looking at the role of issues like defence and abortion in relation to that result.
* Considering how the Oireachtas can better relate to the EU.
* Looking at Ireland’s future within the union.
He stated that he wanted the committee to be a “doorway” for all members of the “European family” and that it must not re-run the rows of the referendum campaign as this would turn-off the electorate and waste time.
