COMMISSION REFORM:THE LISBON Treaty cannot be renegotiated, Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern has said, adding that Ireland can only grow and prosper in future if it helps the European Union to reform to meet new global challenges.
"This is a compromise of many member states," he said. "If one country puts up their hand, quite obviously others who were part of this compromise would have something to say.
"To be honest, it's ludicrous to suggest that we could go back and renegotiate at this stage given that quite a number of countries have already ratified, or are on the way to ratifying, or will ratify," he said in Dublin.
The No side's argument about the reduction in size of the European Commission is intended to "confuse rather than persuade" voters. A reduction was agreed in the Nice Treaty, while Lisbon simply guarantees that all states are treated equally.
Ireland's positive attitude for decades to the EU has been central to what the country has achieved over 35 years of membership.
"We have been at the core of the Union. We have helped drive its development," said Mr Ahern, who was one of the signatories to the treaty last December.
"In doing so we have transformed Ireland - improving livelihoods, building infrastructure and strengthening our national potential.
"The EU is an absolutely central part of our model of growth and prosperity - and we will only grow and prosper in the future if we help to reform the union in the face of serious modern challenges," he said.
No campaigners have used "patently untrue" arguments to damage the treaty: "The tactic of the anti-treaty axis has been to try to cause as much confusion as possible with claims which are patently untrue. These efforts are now clearly discredited.
"Following the systematic rebuttal of their claims concerning tax, abortion and trade, they are now concentrating on the issue of our commissioner.
"This is another phoney issue designed to confuse rather than persuade. As with previous efforts - it holds no water," he said.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for European Affairs Dick Roche said in Dublin yesterday that the treaty was not a manoeuvre aimed at enhancing the power of the larger EU countries.
Addressing locally-based business people from Spain, France, Austria, Italy, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg, he said the treaty was a recipe for sensible, pragmatic reform. Speaking at a lunch held under the patronage of the European Commission and sponsored by solicitors Matheson, Ormsby Prentice, Mr Roche said opponents of the treaty tended to see "Brussels" as a malign external force, but nothing could be further from the truth.
"The overall Irish experience has been strongly positive. Despite this very favourable experience, we have witnessed a campaign against the treaty which portrays the union and Ireland itself in almost unrecognisable terms.There has been an onslaught of negativity from a number of sources.
"These groups have painted a picture of the union which is at total variance to the reality of Ireland's experience in Europe. Some will have us believe that the treaty will allow the Union to provide for the legalisation of abortion, prostitution and hard drugs.
"Others maintain that our national control over corporate tax and defence policies will be grabbed from us. These claims are based on conspiratorial theories which assume the worst of our EU partners."
He continued: "The treaty is absolutely not about introducing abortion, hard drugs, the death penalty or, as Libertas recently claimed, the removal of three-year-old children from their homes into State detention.
"Regarding abortion, there is no question of the EU having any role. The union has no competence in this area. This is recognised in a legally-binding Protocol to the Lisbon Treaty.
"The independent Referendum Commission and the Archbishop of Dublin have indicated that the Lisbon Treaty does not provide for any change in this sensitive area," Mr Roche said, according to a supplied script.