It was ironic to see Sinn Féin share their ideas about Europe with the right-wing Tories, leading Nice Treaty supporter Prof Brigid Laffan, Jean Monnet professor of European politics at UCD, told a meeting of the National Forum on Europe in Castlebar, Co Mayo last night.
A Sinn Féin speaker, Mr Vincent Wood, told the meeting: "I also want to say in the strongest and clearest terms that any attempt by either side to suggest that immigration is an issue in this debate is deplorable. Not only are we in favour of enlargement but also we absolutely reject xenophobia or racism of any kind."
Referring to claims by Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams about the Nice Treaty "taking yet more steps towards the creation of an EU superstate", Prof Laffan said there was great irony that this term was first coined by the Tory right, who were hard Eurosceptics, and spread by the Daily Telegraph.
"If the issue was not so serious it would be amusing to see the president of Sinn Féin taking his political cue from the Tory right," she said.
The forum moves to Cork tonight for a public meeting in the City Hall starting at 8 p.m.