ANTI-LISBON Treaty organisation Libertas yesterday rejected a claim its founder Declan Ganley had "chickened out" of a debate on the treaty next weekend.
The accusation was made by John Cooney, organiser of the Humbert Summer School in Ballina, Co Mayo, which opens on Thursday evening.
"Mr Ganley's unexpected late withdrawal came as a shock because he had personally assured me that he would be there to take part in the debate," he said.
"Obviously I have to take his staff's explanation that he has to be in America, but I suspect that they are shielding him from public engagement with such acknowledged EU experts as Senator [Eugene] Regan and [former secretary at the Department of Foreign Affairs] Noel Dorr."
A spokesman for Libertas said: "Mr Cooney has every right to publicise and promote the outstanding programme he has created for this year's General Humbert Summer School but doing so by hurling insults at anyone is unwarranted and cynical."
He said during and since the Lisbon Treaty referendum Mr Ganley had engaged in debates with such figures as former EU commissioner Peter Sutherland; Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan; French president, Nicolas Sarkozy; Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny; Labour MEP, Proinsias de Rossa; and Minister of State for European Affairs, Dick Roche.
"In this context, to categorise Declan Ganley as having 'chickened out' of the debate at the Humbert school is so ridiculous as to be laughable.''
He said alternative speakers were offered by Libertas but were rejected. Mr Cooney said he decided not to accept a replacement for Mr Ganley as two other prominent anti-Lisbon Treaty campaigners, Ulick McEvaddy, chief executive of Omega Air, and Cork solicitor Joe Noonan, would be taking part in the debate.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/a812fdea-a152-4458-82e7-f74d152302fe.png)