Government won't resign if Lisbon vote is lost -- Martin
TAOISEACH Brian Cowen's Government won't resign if there is a 'No' vote in the second Lisbon Treaty referendum on October 2.
Mr Cowen yesterday confirmed the referendum will take place on the first Friday in October. But Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin said the Government won't stand down if the referendum is rejected again.
"The Government will not resign in terms of the outcome of this particular referendum. This is not about the Government," Mr Martin said.
"This issue is now a matter for every citizen to make up his or her mind as to where they want their country to be in the future," he added.
Mr Martin said in his view a 'Yes' vote would put the country at the heart of Europe. A 'No' vote does marginalise the country and puts it on the periphery of Europe, he said.
Publishing a document explaining the treaty, Mr Martin also defended the Government's information campaign against claims from 'No' campaigners that it was nothing but propaganda.
Mr Martin is spending €220,000 sending a postcard to every home in the country giving an update on the Lisbon guarantees.
"The material we have provided is absolutely about information, it is not advocacy. We are not asking anyone in our information to vote 'Yes' or vote 'No'," he said.
Sinn Fein's Caoimhghin O Caolain said the postcards were in contravention of the McKenna judgment and he asked if the Government had received advice from the Attorney General.
The minister said there was an obligation on the Government to provide information.
"And I would like to think the information we are providing is being provided in a range of media. . . through a range of media, and in a more accessible language and in a more accessible way.
"We cannot work in terms of providing information on Europe from referendum to referendum. We have to do it on a continuous basis. I think we have learned that lesson," he said.
Announcing the date of the referendum as October 2, Mr Cowen said the legally binding guarantees, declaration on workers' rights, and decision taken that every country will keep its commissioner, enable him to go back to the Government and recommend holding a second vote.
Confusion
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said he would not underestimate the strength of confusion about the Lisbon Treaty. He said he was not led by opinion polls that said the treaty would go through.
Mr Cowen also said there was a need for broadcasters to ensure the airwaves were not used for false assertions during the forthcoming referendum campaign.
Mr Cowen said they had to exercise their remit with care. He made the comments after Labour leader Eamon Gilmore insisted broadcasting organisations had taken an overly literal idea of the McKenna judgment without having regard to context.
- Fionnan Sheahan and Patricia McDonagh
