O’Leary to campaign for Lisbon treaty yes vote

RYANAIR’S Michael O’Leary said he and the airline would campaign for a yes vote in the next referendum on the Lisbon treaty.

He attacked Sinn Féin and said he believes Libertas leader Declan Ganley would not be elected if he stands in the European Parliament elections.

Mr O’Leary said his airline owed its existence to the European Union and there was no doubt that Ireland’s future lay at the heart of Europe.

“We will campaign for a yes and we hope to be Europe’s biggest airline in the next few years,” he said.

He advised voters to ignore some of what he described as “the lunatic fringe” in the anti-Lisbon treaty campaign.

“The greatest is that bunch of economic illiterates, Sinn Féin, that is urging a no vote and I would urge that we should do the exact opposite,” said Mr O’Leary.

He added that the treaty should have been voted through in the first referendum, but this time the Government will have to run a much more coherent campaign.

Ireland had secured guarantees in the areas people were concerned about including taxation, neutrality and abortion. They had also a major achievement in negotiating for every country to retain its commissioner.

“The treaty makes Europe work more coherently. Ireland needs to be in Europe — there is no choice. If the Shinners are urging a no vote, then you should know to vote yes,” he said.

Mr O’Leary won his court action against the European Commission yesterday.

The commission had insisted he should not have received concessions from the Walloon authority that owns Charleroi airport outside Brussels.