The future of the Irish economy depends to an important degree on what choice is made on the Nice Treaty this autumn, Mr Tom Parlon, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, declared today.
Speaking at the Patrick MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal, he said "we are deeply embedded in the EU in the core areas of our economic policy-making".
Ireland’s role within the EU is at the heart of these economic policy areas, he claimed. He said "if we continue to choose the right policies for prosperity and economic success, as I believe we are doing, you’ll find we are working in and through Europe, not outside and against it".
He challenged anti-Nice campaigners to demonstrate how a "No" vote would advance Ireland’s interests in the policy areas of financial management, competitiveness, regional development, social inclusion and the environment.
But in response, Green finance spokesman Mr Dan Boyle TD, said: "It ill-beholds a representative of the current government to lecture anyone about consistency in economic policy, given what they were saying before the election and the current state of the economy".
"It’s about time the government started presenting positive reasons to vote yes to Nice rather than engaging in Green smears", said Mr Boyle.
"Ireland’s competitiveness remains the same whether there is a yes or no vote", he said.
Mr Boyle will address the summer school this Friday.