OPINION:To avoid confusion the Government should set up a cross-party committee to argue Yes case for Lisbon Treaty, writes LUCINDA CREIGHTON
COMPLACENCY AND confusion characterised the Lisbon referendum campaign in 2008. Those of us who believe that a Yes vote is in the interest of Ireland and the Irish people have a lot of work to do to avoid the mistakes of that ill-fated campaign.
Chief among the lessons which must be learned is that bickering and sniping among the political parties campaigning on the Yes side will not help to advance the positive message we wish to convey. On the last occasion, swipes were taken by Brian Cowen at Fine Gael, which directly influenced some party supporters to vote No in the referendum. This was unnecessary and utterly avoidable. I am sure that we on the Opposition benches were not entirely blameless either. On this occasion we need to leave party tribalism behind us in order to see a lucid, coherent campaign emerge.
Abstaining from the usual adversarial political jousting will not of itself solve the problem. The political establishment will have to do more on this occasion.
The Government should establish a standing committee for the duration of the campaign to allow better co-operation and communication between Government and Opposition. On the last occasion there was little or no dialogue between the parties on the Yes side, and it certainly showed.
By contrast, disparate organisations on the No side managed to shape organised co-operation. This meant that they had an advantage in terms of communicating their point of view. Good co-ordination of their campaign meant that strong messages were coming across and penetrating members of the public who were, as yet, undecided.
I do not suggest that what is required is spin doctoring, or disingenuous media manipulation. On the contrary, I believe that the facts in relation to the content of the Lisbon Treaty are quite adequate reasons for people to vote Yes.
However, we as political leaders must acknowledge that most members of the public do not have hours at their disposal to trawl through the lengthy and complex document that is the Lisbon Treaty. Nor do they need the added complication of politicians proffering conflicting or confusing facts about the treaty.
In my experience, people want to know the basic facts and they want us to convey these facts in a concise and intelligible fashion. Therefore, it behoves all of us in pro-Lisbon parties to work together to ensure that a consistent message is communicated.
Another essential element of this campaign must be a strong and vocal civic movement, such as emerged in the Nice treaty campaign of 2002. Traditionally, Yes voters are less exercised and motivated than No voters. They are inclined to be generally supportive of the European Union because of the enormous benefit it has brought to Ireland, but they are not necessarily bothered enough to get out on to the streets and campaign.
On this occasion the ordinary men and women who believe in Europe must get out and fight for what they believe in. Last year, during the Lisbon referendum campaign, the proliferation of politicians from Fianna Fáil, Labour and Fine Gael on television and radio advocating a Yes vote was presented as some sort of deception or conspiracy. No campaigners claimed politicians were only interested in feathering their own nests. It is essential to show that there are thousands of people in Ireland, from all walks of life, who passionately believe in Europe.
The first signs of this type of people’s coalition emerged over the weekend with the launch of the Ireland for Europe campaign. This is a thoroughly professional outfit headed up by such respected campaigners as Pat Cox and Prof Brigid Laffan, both of whom are committed, passionate and extremely knowledgeable about all things European.
Crucially, the Ireland for Europe campaign has already been endorsed by such high-profile Irish personalities as Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney, U2 musician The Edge and Ireland footballer Robbie Keane. By mobilising such respected public figures as these, Ireland for Europe has shown great potential to become a powerful and essential campaigning movement in the coming weeks and months, mobilising young and old alike to fight for Ireland’s place in Europe.
Another important lesson that the Yes side ought to have learned from the last referendum campaign is the need to focus on communicating the positive messages about the Lisbon Treaty, rather than being permanently derailed into refuting outlandish claims by No campaigners.
We all fell foul of this trap in 2008. If we stick to the facts when speaking of the Lisbon Treaty, I have no doubt but that it will in reality sell itself.
The arguments in favour are honest and clear. This is a treaty designed to make Europe work better, for the benefit of all of us. It will give a strengthened role to the democratically elected European Parliament; it will enhance the role of the Oireachtas in European decision-making; it will allow Europe to deal with the challenges of climate change and energy security; it will make Europe and Ireland more attractive for inward investment to our economies.
Let those of us who advocate a Yes vote stick to the facts, because everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.
Lucinda Creighton is Fine Gael’s deputy spokeswoman on foreign affairs, with special responsibility for European affairs