Recent comments by members of the government are a sign of cabinet "disunity" not just on the Nice Treaty but on the extent of Irish participation in the EU, Labour Party leader Mr Ruari Quinn said today.
Mr Quinn said, "There is something deeply cynical and dishonest about attempts by members of this government to present themselves as having been on the winning side of the Nice Treaty referendum."
Minister for Finance Mr Charlie McCreevy controversially told reporters attending the EU summit in Sweden he thought the rejection of the treaty in a referendum less than a fortnight ago was a "remarkably healthy development".
Mr McCreevy said on Friday that the electorate had shown "for several hundred years" that they did not lie down easily.
He added: "Here we had all the political parties, all of the media, both broadcast and print, all of the organisations - IBEC (Irish Business and Employers Federation), the ICTU (Irish Congress of Trade Unions), the IFA (Irish Farmers' Association) and everybody else yet the plain people of Ireland in their wisdom have decided to vote ‘no'. I think that's a very healthy sign."
Fine Gael party leader Mr Michael Noonan, described Mr McCreevy's comments as "reckless beyond belief".
The Tánaiste Ms Mary Harney said Mr McCreevy was a "colourful" minister who had his own way of expressing his point of view.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for arts minister Sile de Valera - another grandchild of Eamon de Valera - said yesterday she felt the "no" vote demonstrated opposition to further EU integration.
The Labour Party leader Mr Quinn said, "The disunity in the Cabinet now being revealed goes beyond the Nice Treaty.
"Less than 24 hours after the Taoiseach stated that it was his view that the only way to be in the European Union was to be fully involved, he has been undermined by remarks by another cabinet Minister - his authority is being progressively undermined.
"Serious questions must be asked about this government's ability to represent us coherently in the European Union where decisions that impact on our future continue to be made."
PA