ANTI-LISBON group Cóir has launched its campaign, calling for a No vote with a series of posters warning about the consequences if the treaty is passed.
The group has produced five posters with provocative slogans. The most contentious claim the group makes is that the minimum wage could be lowered to €1.84 per hour if the October referendum is successful.
Another claims that farmers will be “milked dry” if the treaty is passed. The third contends that Ireland’s relative voting power will be 0.8 per cent compared to 17 per cent for Germany.
Comments made by Irish EU commissioner Charlie McCreevy earlier this year that 95 per cent of Europeans would vote No if the treaty was put to them for a vote is reproduced in the fourth poster.
The final poster refers to the foundation of the State and has the legend: “They want your freedom. Don’t throw it away.”
Cóir spokesman Brian Hickey said that 12,000 posters would be printed at a cost of €51,000. He denied that the group was scaremongering. Rather, he said, the messages in the posters were creating awareness among people.
However, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has launched a scathing attack on the group, describing claims made in the posters as “inaccurate and misleading”.
“It is the duty of every person who respects the great generation which sacrificed so much for us to come out and work against these people and what they stand for,” Mr Martin said. He said the claim about the minimum wage rate of €1.84 was a distortion of the facts, as the EU does not have the power to set national minimum wage rates. “It’s a lie and it’s an untruth – their campaign is all about lies and scaremongering,” he contended.
The group’s posters during the first Lisbon campaign last year provoked controversy, but were seen as having an impact with some voters.
Yesterday, Mr Hickey said the group’s claim about the minimum wage was based on judgements by the European Court of Justice that allowed employers in one EU state to take on workers from another state at lower rates.
Mr Martin also accused Cóir of being a front for anti-abortion group Youth Defence. In a speech to Ógra Fianna Fáil in Cork, Mr Martin said the Irish people deserved an honest debate that focused on the real issues in the treaty and there should be no role for groups such as Youth Defence “cynically trying to hide behind their front group, Cóir”.
Pointing out that Cóir and Youth Defence shared the same offices, Mr Martin said there should be no doubt that they were the same organisation.
However, Cóir spokesman Richard Greene said Mr Martin’s comments were “a pathetic attempt to smear the Cóir campaign and smacked of desperation”, as he was aware Cóir’s canvassers were having an impact.
“When will the Minister realise that voters have no problem with either Cóir’s pro-life stance or the fact that, while Cóir is an independent organisation, we are lucky enough to have the support and energy of some Youth Defence members?” said Mr Greene.