Irish farmers will find themselves in a "very lonely and isolated position" if they advocate a No vote in any forthcoming referendum on the Nice Treaty warned EU Commissioner, Mr David Byrne, today.
The Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, Mr Byrne, asked farmers to consider what they had in common with the "agenda of the Green’s, Sinn Féin and the far left who are all overwhelmingly against ratification of the Treaty".
Addressing the General Council of the Irish Farmers Association, Mr Byrne said: "In the hypothetical situation that there is a No vote and if farmers had advocated such a not vote, where will your allies be?"
"Who will ‘owe’ you for your part in throwing a spanner in the enlargement process? What favours will you be able to call-in in return for your part in saying no to enlargement?"
Mr Byrne added that he did not believe that it would be "necessary to engage in scaremongering tactics to turn the tide" in favour of a Yes vote.
The IFA National Council had invited Mr Byrne to address the General Council as the first stage in supporting a Yes vote in the forthcoming Nice Treaty referendum.