'Mischief' in store for Irish EU treaty vote

Irish taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said that UK and French hardliners may cause difficulties for next year’s vote on the Lisbon treaty.

Speaking at the European council of heads of state Friday, the Irish prime minister said that members of the UK independence party and far-right ex-French presidential candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen would probably come to Ireland during the referendum on the Lisbon treaty next year. 

“They will probably haul themselves in and make mischief,” said the Irish leader, “But money will come in and that worries us more because you can look like you have a high-profile campaign.”

Ireland is the only member state that must, under constitutional law, hold a referendum on the treaty of Lisbon, which replaces the earlier constitutional treaty defeated by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

“We have to treat it seriously,” said the taoiseach about the campaigns for the referendum. “It’s an important campaign for our country.

“It gives us an opportunity to express, in a democratic way, our view on the treaty.”

The ‘no’ campaign in Ireland is beginning to heat up, especially over the issues of national sovereignty and neutrality. But a recent economic downturn in the country has added extra fuel to the ‘no’ campaign’s fire.

“The economy has been helped massively by Europe and continues to be helped by Europe,” countered the taoiseach at the Brussels summit.

“Foreign direct investment continues to be good from our European partners and elsewhere.”

A poll published by the Irish Times in November found that only 25 per cent of people would vote ‘yes’ in a referendum on the treaty, with 62 per cent undecided and 13 per cent against.

“We’ll take nothing for granted,” the taoiseach admitted.

All major Irish political parties are rallying in support of the treaty, bar Sinn Féin. Mary-Lou MacDonald, Sinn Féin MEP, said:

“The Lisbon Treaty contains the most substantial transfer of powers from member states to the European Council and Commission to date. The impact of this move cannot be underestimated or treated lightly; it is a mammoth move towards a super state.”

The taoiseach didn’t divulge any date for the vote, but did say that he wants to hold it on the same day as a referendum on children’s rights, which will not be finalised until after April 2008.

“We have commitments for a children’s referendum, and that’s complicating matters,” he said.

He added that German chancellor Angela Merkel agreed Friday to visit Ireland on the eve of the referendum and French president Nicolas Sarkozy has indicated on previous occasions that he would come to the country again.

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