EU: A row has broken out between a leader of the Greens in the European Parliament, Mr Daniel Cohn-Bendit, and the Sinn Féin MEP Ms Mary Lou McDonald over the forthcoming Irish referendum on the EU Constitution.
As a result, Ms McDonald invited the Green MEP to come to Ireland to debate the issue publicly. She was responding to comments from Mr Cohn-Bendit, who accused Sinn Féin of waging "an awful campaign" against the constitution, based on false claims.
"They don't say the truth," said the Green MEP, best-known from his radical student days as Danny the Red, at a news conference at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. "Sinn Féin is arguing on the constitution on arguments that have nothing to do with the constitution."
He said Sinn Féin claimed that the constitution was a "neo-liberal" document, when it contained nothing about economics, and that the document would promote militarisation of the EU.
"It's a lie, what they say about the constitution," he said.
Mr Cohn-Bendit's comments came in response to a question about the stance the Irish Greens should adopt in the referendum, since they have not decided which way they will vote when the poll takes place, probably in the autumn.
Urging a "yes" vote, he said that the Sinn Féin campaign was causing a problem for the Greens in Ireland: "The fear of the Irish Greens is to be bypassed by Sinn Féin. They shouldn't be opportunistic." He added: "There's a part of the Irish Greens for 'yes' and I suppose a majority for 'no'. That's life."
Acknowledging that parts of the constitution were "weak", he argued that more progress could be made with the constitution than without it.
He was pleased that the Socialist People's Party in Denmark had voted internally by a two to one majority to support the constitution and said that this was "an incredible step forward". He advised the Irish Greens to "make a trip to Denmark", which was another small country.
Ms McDonald said: "Sinn Féin is currently discussing the detail of the European Constitution within the party and will formally take our decision at this year's ard fheis in early March.
"We have already expressed serious concerns with the content of the proposed EU Constitution. Issues of democratic accountability, national sovereignty, neutrality and militarisation, the centralisation of powers within the EU and the neo-liberal agenda are all key areas of concern," Ms McDonald said.
Meanwhile, the Green Party TD Mr John Gormley said: "Daniel Cohn-Bendit may be misreading the Irish political scene. No other political party's stance will have any bearing on the Green Party decision on whether to support or oppose the constitution. It will be made solely on the merits or otherwise of this constitution."
Mr Gormley was one of six Irish political representatives at the European Convention which drew up the constitution.
MEPs began a debate on the proposed constitution at yesterday's sitting of the parliament.
The Labour MEP for Dublin, Mr Proinsias De Rossa, told the parliament: "I doubt if any member-state's constitution has ever been prepared in such an open and democratic way."
He said that, despite their differences, the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin were both making the same case against the constitution, based on a reversion to 19th century-style sovereignty.
Opposing the constitution, the Democratic Unionist MEP Mr Jim Allister told the parliament that supporters of the document saw it as work in progress towards a superstate. "Their undisguised candour gives the lie to those who would deceive voters into thinking this is a mere tidying-up exercise," he said. "The choice is between a Europe of co-operating sovereign nation states or a Europe that is itself a superstate."
He added: "Anyone with pride in their own nation and who does not want to see it subsumed into a hideous conglomerate will reject this tawdry constitution."
Mr Brian Crowley of Fianna Fáil told his fellow-MEPs: "We cannot allow misconceptions to fester in the minds of the people of Europe concerning the terms of this treaty."
The Fine Gael MEP Ms Mairead McGuinness said: "Under the new constitution, the Dáil and Seanad will have an opportunity to examine legislation before it goes to the council of ministers. They will be able to input and say if the legislation is going too far or if, on the other hand, it is not going far enough. This will mark a huge change. People will, at last, feel they can influence what is happening in Europe."