Government should review its own credibility

THE Millward Brown IMS poll on the Lisbon Treaty is being misconstrued by some commentators.

The poll was commissioned by the Department of Foreign Affairs and this is reflected in Foreign Affairs terminology such as “military neutrality” rather than the international law term “neutrality”. The term “diminution of Irish neutrality” is used when, in reality, Irish neutrality has been demolished since March 20, 2003 by Government complicity in the Iraq war. The inclusion of the questionable question on conscription into a European army may indicate a desire by Foreign Affairs to discredit the no campaign. To my knowledge conscription was raised not by any of the genuine no campaigners, but by the Taoiseach and Foreign Minister Micheál Martin, who claimed the no side were using it as a scare tactic.

This attempted smear backfired on the Government. Many voters may have thought conscription was an issue because the Government raised it.