FF LEADERSHIP:TÁNAISTE MARY Coughlan has suggested that other political parties are not doing enough compared to Fianna Fáil in the treaty referendum campaign.
Ms Coughlan yesterday expressed “grave concern” that other parties were not doing enough.
Speaking at a Fianna Fáil rally in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, in which she urged people to cast a Yes vote, she called on all pro-Lisbon parties to “beef it up” as they attempt to get their message across.
Her comments were reminiscent of those made by Taoiseach Brian Cowen during the first referendum campaign last year, remarks that drew criticism from both Fine Gael and Labour.
Asked whether it would be an embarrassment for her if Donegal voted No, she replied it would be a “huge disappointment”. She was passionate in the belief that voting Yes was the right thing to do for Ireland.
In the first Lisbon Treaty referendum Donegal North East and Donegal South West recorded the second-highest and the fifth-highest No votes respectively.
Meanwhile, Mr Cowen yesterday argued that the No side’s efforts to create fear in the public mind had to be stopped.
He said the Yes campaign had to send out a positive message to show that Irish neutrality was being respected; tax autonomy was guaranteed; and that Ireland would have its own commissioner, a step that would not happen if the referendum was lost.
“If we stand against the consensus that has emerged in the European Union about the Lisbon Treaty going ahead, that is not going to be good for the country,” he told TV3.
“Two out of three jobs in Ireland are with companies with orders in European markets. People see there are consequences if we vote No. What signals do we send, and why do we put ourselves at risk?”
He also said there would not be a third referendum should the decision go against the Government on October 2nd.
“If we vote No the Lisbon Treaty can’t be ratified. Other countries in the EU will decide on how much they want to co-operate intensely among themselves. That’s the reality.
“It’s not that we will leave the union immediately. It’s not that there will be an overnight Armageddon.
“But what is it all about? It is that we are just making sure that a 27-member union works better,” he said.
Mr Cowen would make no comment on the decision by Declan Ganley of Libertas to re-enter the fray.
“I am not denigrating him or putting him on a pedestal,” he said. “He is a citizen and is entitled to a citizen’s view in a democracy.”