People should not make their choices in the referendum on "guff" from the Government but on the basis of what was good for the future of Europe, according to Labour's foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Michael D. Higgins.

The electorate should not be put off by the "long litany, like the prayers for the conversion of Russia, about how we were just poor savages in sackcloth until we joined the EU". This was "boring, rhetorical and shallow" and it suited a "shallow Taoiseach" to deliver that kind of speech, said Mr Higgins, who added: "The public is entitled to respect for the complexity of the issue."

Labour supported a "critical Yes" in the referendum, but he demanded that the Government "abandon the nonsensical idea that it was just a PR job that went wrong, because it is much more than that".

However, Nice was the fastest route possible for the largest number of countries. "Their entry into the EU is important not because they constitute a component of what is being described as 500 million consumers, but because they will be powerful allies in the preparation of the next treaty, and we will be coming to the end of the treaty-formation process."

Sinn Féin's European affairs spokesman, Mr Aengus Ó Snodaigh, said it was "an affront" that TDs were in a "so-called debate" on a treaty which had already been rejected by the people. "It is an arrogance on behalf of this Government that they have ignored the fundamental fact that the Irish have spoken."

Mr Ó Snodaigh also hit out at the Taoiseach's view of neutrality, which was "so narrowly focused in terms of not actively participating in the activities of a military alliance as to render it completely meaningless". He added: "Rather than being used as a positive element of an independent foreign policy, we have a Government that almost apologises for the fact that we are supposed to be neutral."

Mr Niall Blaney (Ind, Donegal North-East) said he was not against enlargement, but he could not understand why the accession countries did not join the EU in stages. Ireland had benefited from the EU - "but let's not get hung up on the past and throw away our future".

Mr Tony Gregory (Ind, Dublin Central) said that the Government had adopted a totally undemocratic approach to the Nice referendum. They had gone to their "EU masters" and had told them they would get it right the next time around.

Mr Gregory said that the Nice Treaty would make the EU less democratic. It could only remain democratic where every member could retain their veto, and that would not happen with Nice.