THE SMALLEST party rolled out the biggest gun, writes Miriam Lord.
Lisbon launches were happening all over town yesterday as the referendum campaign got under way in earnest.
The PDs set sail from the offices of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, who let them have a room for the occasion. The party is down on its luck at the moment and so it was a low-budget affair.
There will be no battle buses and glossy gimmicks for the PDs this time. The best they could manage was to produce three cardboard letters. Mary Harney held a "Y" and her new party leader, Senator Ciarán Cannon, clutched an "E". Marching beside them, carrying an "S" was their big gun, former president of the European Parliament Pat Cox.
As they walked up Clare Street, the trio formed a moving billboard. Very moving.
The Progressive Democrats have sunk their meagre resources into expensive posters. "Yes. It's in our interest" it says, above the signature and photograph of a friendly-looking chap.
Who he? The signature is hard to make out, but the chap is their party leader, Ciarán Cannon, aka "Watisname?" The party is not denying that, along with promoting a Yes vote, they are also hoping to promote the little-known Galway Senator. Perhaps they should have printed his name, instead of the squiggles which look like twin haloes.
"It's an opportunity to show that we are active as a party, enthused as a party," said Ciarán.
There were four people at the top table - Mary Harney, Pat Cox, the friendly-looking chap from the posters and another man. There were no name plates. The man went to the microphone. He didn't introduce himself. "I suppose the top table needs no introduction," he said, but he did it anyway.
First up. "Pat Cock," said the man whose name we didn't know. Mary Harney laughed and bit her lip. "Eh, Pat Cox." Mary Harney looked like she was in pain.
"Next, we have our leader. . . It's his first campaign, it's a big campaign for him." Unfortunately, the man with no name didn't name Watisname. Which could have been a major problem if most of the people in the room hadn't been PDs, and able to recognise Ciarán Cannon.
"And finally, Mary Harney, of course, our Minister for Health." Know her.
He said the PDs "are going out, door to door, across the country with renewed vigour, renewed energy." Probably because they don't have a bus.
Ciarán was next to the podium. "Thank you, Victor," he began.
Oh, thank God. It's Victor.
Ciarán outlined his party's vision for the future, and their visionary approach to Europe. There was the obligatory reference to St Desmond O'Malley. "It is interesting to note that the positive influence of our former leader, Des O'Malley, lives on in this treaty as it sets out to confer legal status on the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Des and Bernard Durkan were the Oireachtas representatives involved in preparing the charter in 1999." Isn't Fine Gael's Bernard the dark horse? In the Dáil, he spends most of his time asking questions about natural gas.
And so to Pat, formerly of the PD parish until he fell out with them and went on to great things in Europe. Ciarán gave him a big build-up: winner of the Charlemagne Prize and a man respected, not only in European teams, but in global terms.
Pat, with his peerless EU pedigree, replied by quoting US presidential contender Adlai Stevenson, as only he can. He stressed he was invited to participate in the launch by Cannon and was delighted to be of assistance. "I will do whatever I can, wherever I can, with whomsoever I can, to promote a positive outcome," he said saucily.
This was the sole reason for his presence, he said, lest anybody get ideas he is contemplating a return to the PD fold.
He attacked opponents of the Lisbon Treaty who say it must be rejected because the document is impossible to understand. This was an act of "ill-informed and self-serving delusion" from people "peddling naivety". The treaty cannot be read as a standalone document, he said, as it is far too complex. This is not unusual for amending legislation, he explained, citing the Budget as an example. In the weeks to come, given Pat's anytime, anyplace, anywhere, pledge, the pro-treaty parties could do worse than roll him out at every opportunity.
Victor, by the way, was later identified as Victor Boyhan, who is directing the PDs' campaign to get the treaty passed and Ciarán Cannon noticed. Guess in which order of importance.