Govt to debate Nice vote strategy

The Government will today consider a strategy for reversing last year’s shock referendum defeat of the Treaty of Nice plan for European Union expansion.

The cabinet debate is set to go ahead following Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s success in securing a declaration to guarantee continued Irish military neutrality at last weekend’s European summit in Seville, Spain.

The neutrality issue was seen as a major influence in persuading voters to turn against Europe in a nationwide poll for the first time in Ireland.

A new plebiscite has to be held by the end of the year to permit the entry of new states into the community on schedule, and is expected to be staged on a date in October.

After his summit coup, though, Mr Ahern upset the strong No-to-Nice lobby by accusing them of whingeing and scaremongering - and underlining the serious consequences of Ireland turning down Nice once more.

The Green Party, which opposed the European blueprint last time, said the premier was letting himself down by ‘‘substituting insults for rational debate’’.

Mr Ahern was defended by Minister for Foreign Affairs Brian Cowen - who was also at the Seville conference, maintaining that the Yes lobby was entitled to defend itself.

But there was implied internal criticism from junior finance minister Tom Parlon, a member of the Progressive Democrats, who was appointed only last week.

He said the fall-out from the last No decision would have to be taken aboard in any new campaign.

A junior minister who admitted voting against Nice last year today indicated backing for the new plebiscite.

Eamon O'Cuiv, now a full member of the cabinet, said the last poll had been a wake-up call for the Government and a lot of developments since then had changed the context.

Mr O'Cuiv, a grandson of former Taoiseach and president Eamon de Valera, declared: ‘‘Things have moved forward now.’’

The main Dail parties - all of them pro-Nice - are to meet this week for the discussions on the wording of a referendum proposal.