Greens challenge Taoiseach to Nice debate

The Green Party today began its campaign for a No vote in the Nice Treaty referendum with a call on the Government to full debate.

It accused the Government of "misleading the Irish people" on the precise content of the Treaty.

Unveiling the party's campaign in Dublin this morning, Green Party leader Mr Trevor Sargent lambasted the content used in the Government's information booklet which he said contradicted its own White Paper on security and enlargement.

Calling on voters to reject the Treaty, he challenged the Taoiseach to a head-to-head debate on the issue, saying the referendum was a final opportunity to address the "lack of democracy in the EU" and to keep "Ireland at the heart of decision making" in Europe.

Mr Paul Gogarty, national campaign director, said the Greens were working in conjunction with the Alliance against Nice and would also campaign on "its own terms" as it would in an election.

He said the campaign would focus on key issues relating to the debate. Via a poster campaign, leafleting campaign and media campaign the party was "confident" of making an impact, he said.

Party chairman Mr John Gormley, welcomed yesterday's announcement of the referendum date and said now the sparring was over it was now time to get into the ring.

He said the Taoiseach was under extreme pressure and as a result of his "weak argument" was resorting to "scare mongering". He called on the Government to "stop treating people with contempt".

He also called on RTÉ to live up to its responsibilities as a Public Service Broadcaster and to provide 50:50 coverage to both sides of the argument. The party is to seek a meeting with RTÉ and the IRTC as early as next week to discuss arrangements for coverage of the campaign.