Gilmore accuses anti-treaty campaigners of being hysterical and unrepresentative

YES CAMPAIGN:LABOUR LEADER Eamon Gilmore has condemned anti-treaty campaigners for taking on "an increasingly strident and hysterical tone".

During a canvass in Bray, Co Wicklow yesterday, Mr Gilmore also claimed the No side had lost the argument on neutrality and social and economic issues.

"In the past few weeks we have heard claims that ratifying the Lisbon Treaty will enable a Brussels 'elite' to take your three-year-old child into custody; that it will lead to the introduction of abortion and euthanasia, together with talk of the EU being a stepping stone towards a world government," he said.

"These issues have absolutely nothing to do with the Lisbon Treaty or the EU."

Mr Gilmore described some of the groups campaigning against the treaty as an "intolerant and unrepresentative" minority who were trying to frighten and intimidate voters into a No vote.

Meanwhile, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan said an endorsement of the Lisbon Treaty was the only "right message" Ireland could send to investors around the world. In a statement last night, he said that when one analysed the reasons Ireland was so adept at attracting foreign investment, many could be attributed to our full participation in the European Union.

"Key reasons why Ireland secures so much foreign direct investment into our country is because we are in the single market, we are in the Eurozone and we are at the centre of the decision-making process in Europe."

Outlining the economic justification for supporting the treaty, he said the EU needed to reform how it carries out its business, in much the same way as the United Nations in recent times.

"That is why so many business groups including Ibec, the Small Firms Association, American multinational companies, the Irish Exporters Association, chambers of commerce and the Hotels Federation of Ireland have all backed the call for a Yes vote," he said.

Earlier, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said the treaty was a great step forward for smaller countries because it was negotiated by them. "Ireland played a major role and there is no conceivable scenario where we could achieve as much again," Mr Cowen said.