GREEN PARTY:GREEN PARTY leader John Gormley has said he would still vote "Yes" to the Lisbon Treaty even if his party was in Opposition.
Mr Gormley also said it was he who personally proposed the Citizens Initiative, a new measure contained in the treaty which would oblige the EU Commission to consider any legislative proposal submitted by over one million citizens from a significant number of countries.
He said he had made the suggestion when he was a member of the Convention on the Future of Europe, which had responsibility with coming up with proposals for the now-jettisoned constitutional treaty.
Mr Gormley, the Minister for the Environment, also said that the direct references to climate change contained in the Lisbon Treaty have come about as a direct result of the efforts of his party since entering coalition with Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats last summer.
Mr Gormley made the comments yesterday while launching a report on the status of EU protected habitats and species in Ireland.
"Since going into Government we have managed to get direct references to the combating of climate change. These are now contained in this particular treaty," he said.
He said he would be voting Yes and said that a majority of Green members would also support the ratification of the treaty.