Government 'would risk collapse' in Lisbon rerun
LIBERTAS chief Declan Ganley yesterday claimed a second rejection of the Lisbon Treaty would probably cause the collapse of the Government, or very senior members of it.
During a three-hour Dail committee debate, featuring robust and angry exchanges, Mr Ganley told political parties: "You lost. Get over it."
He also conceded that Ireland would be "persecuted" if it failed to ratify the treaty, but insisted it was a price worth paying for democracy.
"We should not, we should not, I beg you, make the mistake of recommending a rerun of this referendum because it will be lost. It will be lost for a multitude of facts," he said.
"Let's not have another referendum because if it's 'No' it will probably provoke the collapse of the Government or some senior figures in it."
A game of "charades" is currently being played out in an effort to try and walk the country into a second referendum, he said.
Appearing before the Oireachtas Committee on Ireland's Future in Europe yesterday morning, the Libertas founder claimed that pressure to isolate Ireland was coming not only from Brussels, but from within Government ranks here.
Mr Ganley said the country, was being "bullied" by its European counterparts, adding: "I've been told by representatives of governments that I've met, who met with our Government, that it is our wish to be isolated."
Dead
Under repeated questioning from Fianna Fail's Timmy Dooley, Mr Ganley refused to outline what aspects of the treaty he would like to see negotiated, insisting instead that a whole new document was required.
If European officials refuse to produce it because they do not have the "will or energy", they should resign, he claimed.
"Irish people closed it [the Lisbon Treaty]. It's a dead document ... the Taoiseach gave away our best negotiating card by not declaring it dead."
Following half an hour of repeated questioning about his claim during the campaign that three-year-old children could be detained for educational purposes under the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Labour's Joe Costello said Mr Ganley was "strong on rhetoric and short on specifics".
"Libertas is a mass of contradictions and scaremongering," he added.
Asked by Independent Senator Ronan Mullen if Ireland would be "persecuted" for failing to ratify the treaty, Mr Ganley replied: "Yes, if we don't go along with it, there will be chastisement, but that's the price we have to pay for standing up for democracy.
"Fear of persecution or chastisement is a poor adviser."
In his opening address, Mr Ganley said Ireland's membership of the EU had been "extremely beneficial" and the Libertas chief also insisted that Ireland should remain at the heart of Europe.
But he said there was now the opportunity for a "new European Renaissance" and for Ireland to offer a "breath of fresh air and a reinvigoration of the European ideal".
As Libertas had not drafted their alternative to the treaty, Fine Gael's Lucinda Creighton said it was clear they had no "precise alternatives".
Eamon de Valera, who opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty, at least had the "good grace" to come with an alternative treaty, she said.
Under questioning from Fianna Fail TD Beverly Flynn, who queried Mr Ganley's previous assertion that the Common Agricultural Policy was a "weapon of mass destruction", the Libertas chief said payments were being handed out in a way that was "somewhat offensive to the dignity of farmers".
Mr Ganley said there had to be a system of payments which ensured large farming enterprises did not benefit to the detriment of smaller farmers.
- Aine Kerr Political Correspondent
