FG warns it won't back Lisbon vote in the Dail
Monday September 15 2008
TAOISEACH Brian Cowen's chances of getting cross-party support for passing parts of the Lisbon Treaty through the Dail hit another snag last night.
Fine Gael said it will not back any plan involving ratifying parts of the treaty.
Pushing some of the treaty through legislation and putting the remainder to a second referendum is among the options understood to be being considered by Mr Cowen.
Mr Cowen acknowledged in recent weeks that aspects of the Treaty would have to be put to the people, even if some sections were approved by the Oireachtas.
Fianna Fail will debate the Lisbon fallout at its parliamentary party think-in, starting today, and Fine Gael will put forward some proposals at its gathering later in the week.
The Labour Party already says it is not in favour of the running of a second Lisbon Treaty referendum.
FG foreign affairs spokesman Billy Timmins said his party doesn't want any of the treaty passed through legislation.
Impact
"It would be most unlikely we would support any of it going through the Dail. This is not something we would see as an option. My personal view is I don't see this as a runner at all," he said. Mr Timmins also believes the Government should now make clear the impact of not ratifying Lisbon.
"It is important people realise what consequences there are arising from the vote," he said.
And he wants the Government to look at legislation in relation to the McKenna judgment on referendums, which prevents the Government using exchequer money to push an argument in favour (or against) any referendum.
"No matter what the argument might be, 50pc of the time in TV and radio debates has to be given to the opponent and the Government is prevented from giving resources," he said.
"The McKenna judgment strikes me as an unhealthy state of affairs," he added.
- Fionnan Sheahan Political Editor
