Martin: ‘We will not quit over No vote’

THE Government is refusing to stake all on the Lisbon treaty, insisting it will not resign if the people vote No for a second time.

October 2 was announced as the referendum date yesterday and it’s hoped the Friday vote will increase participation among younger people and students returning home from college for the weekend.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, said a Yes vote is in the best interest of the country and he will bring that case to the people.

“Given the legal guarantees and assurances that we have, there is no advantage to the country in voting No – absolutely no advantage to the country in voting No. I can’t see it,” he said.

The minister said if the people vote No for a second time “then the Lisbon treaty does not pass”.

But he said this would not be a resigning matter for the Government.

“The Government will not resign on the terms of the outcome of this referendum because this is not about government. It’s about the future for the Irish people and the future of Irish society within the European Union,” he said.

“This is a matter for each individual citizen to make up his or her mind about where they want their country to be in the years to come. In my view a Yes vote puts us at the heart of Europe, a no vote does marginalise us to the periphery of Europe,” he said at the launch of the White Paper on the Lisbon treaty.

Mr Martin said he will be co-operating with the opposition parties and independents in the Dáil to ensure a co-ordinated campaign by those in favour of the treaty.

Fine Gael said the announcement of the date will give focus to the campaign.

Newly-elected Socialist Party MEP for Dublin, Joe Higgins, promised a “vigorous campaign of opposition” to the treaty.

“The establishment will attempt to portray the vote on the Lisbon treaty as a vote on whether or not we should be members of the EU. That is not the issue ...

“The issue is whether we want the intensification of a right-wing neo-liberal agenda and the institutionalisation of the right of big business to drive down wages and conditions for workers,” he said.

Generation Yes – a group involved in encouraging 18-30 year olds to vote, welcomed the holding of the referendum on a Friday.

Director Andrew Byrne said: “The decision on the Lisbon treaty is the most important one our generation has had to make. The Friday date will give the many young people, who – by choice or necessity – are working and living away from home, the chance to vote.”