Ireland's European Commissioner, Mr David Byrne, has strongly criticised opponents of the Nice Treaty.
He told the Forum on Europe yesterday that it was totally dishonest to pretend the treaty represented a change in the approach to neutrality.
Opponents of Nice criticised him for being belligerent and patronising.
The closing session of the forum's second phase was attended by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen.
The Taoiseach said the issue now was to clarify the issues and to move on the declaration of neutrality.
He said that at the Seville European Council, colleagues from member-states and applicant countries had said it was important for Ireland to agree to the treaty.
Mr Byrne, the Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, said by means of the proceedings of the forum and the declaration, he believed there was a sound basis to seek a mandate from the people of Ireland to ratify the treaty. He hoped this would be done some time in the autumn.
Nowhere was the confusion sown by the anti-Nice campaign more evident than in the allegations made about the threat to Ireland's neutrality. Nice did not change a single aspect of Ireland's traditional approach to neutrality.
"It is totally dishonest to pretend, as those opposed to the Nice Treaty do, that Nice represents a change in this regard," the commissioner said.
Cllr Dan Doyle (Green), who is opposed to the treaty, responded to the speech by saying: "I would first of all like to ask Commissioner Byrne to reconsider his phraseology. I'd like to put on record that I consider his comments easily to be the most belligerent the forum has ever experienced. I particularly want him to reconsider the use of the word 'dishonest'."
Prof Anthony Coughlan, secretary of The National Platform, said: "Commissioner Byrne comes here today, and with all due respect to him, in what I think was a highly colourful and patronising lecture, he intervenes in the referendum process in effect because a commissioner has no role in application of European treaties."
Mr Byrne said to those who opposed the treaty and would not accept the declaration: "Are we seriously saying we won't accept the solemn declaration? Are we saying we don't trust the Irish Government, we don't trust any of the other governments, we don't trust anybody? Are you so convinced you might be right that you're going to put in the balance that view against 100 million people joining the EU?"
Mr Mark Durkan, making a submission as SDLP leader, said Irish neutrality was not compromised by the treaty and he welcomed the proposed declaration.
"But it should never have been an issue and was introduced during the referendum by some who were opposed to the EU to play on fears and as a scare tactic," Mr Durkan said.
The Danish had lodged the clarification on the Amsterdam Treaty at the UN as a means of copper-fastening, and he said he believed the Irish Government should act similarly.