The Labour Party was deeply disappointed that the Government received only "vague assurances" rather than legally-binding guarantees on workers' rights and social policy at the European Council in Brussels, its European spokesman said today.
Joe Costello, speaking at a conference in Dublin, gave the first firm indication that, at this moment in time, the Government cannot rely on Labour supporting the second Lisbon referendum.
He referred to party leader Eamon Gilmore's comments following the referendum result in June that Labour will oppose a second referendum unless there are significant advances and amendments in the new proposals that will be put to the Irish people.
"As it stands, we are not satisfied that there are significant advances to this area of greatest concern to us," he said.
He continued that the party had yet to receive full details and confirmation from Taoiseach Brian Cowen as to what had been agreed at the Brussels summit last week as regards workers' rights.
"We have not got a final answer. We need to get confirmation from the Taoiseach as to what has been agreed," he said.
"If there's no progress in [securing] assurances and guarantees to workers rights and services, then we do not see the value in having a second referendum," he said.
Mr Costello, a TD for Dublin Central, argued that the Government will have to "dialogue" with trade unions and opposition parties. He contended the Government had consulted with nobody before brokering the package of concessions with the other 27 member states.
Mr Costello was among the speakers at the meeting organised by the European Commission Representation in Ireland (ECRI). Minister of State for Europe Dick Roche, who was held at gunpoint during the armed raid at a Co Wicklow Hotel today, was also due to address the meeting.
In an implicit reference to Mr Costello's comments, Martin Territt, the director of ECRI, said that there was need to talk to the Commissioner for Social Affairs Vladimir Spidla around the issues concerning workers rights.
Mr Territt said that his view was there was no doubt Ireland's standing had been damaged by the referendum result.
"I believe that damage is temporary. But if the situation continues and Ireland does not ratify the treaty there's the potential for irreparable damage," he said.
Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins argued that the Government was now preparing to launch a massive propaganda campaign to justify what he said would be the consequences of Lisbon, which included taxes on worker's wages, and changes in living standards and services.
He said that pro-Lisbon proponents were using "any old excuse" to justify it including the claim that it would have helped tackle the financial crisis.
"This is false. Lisbon has a neoliberal agenda that is causing the World disaster."
He also rebuked the Government and the media for what he called a "vast conspiracy" to overturn last June's decision.
"The media have decided which opponents of the Lisbon Treaty they will promote to suit their agenda.
"Most media have calculatedly reported [Declan] Ganley [of Libertas] as leader of the No campaign.
"He is not and was not the leader of the No campaign was only one of many components," he said.
"It suits the millionaire press to have one of their own as the main opponent just as Fine Gael and Labour are safe as the opposition.
He said that Declan Ganley was neoliberal and right wing,
And was an opponent of neutrality and an advocate of privatisation.
Fine Gael's spokeswoman on European affairs Lucinda Creighton said that Ireland was in a precarious position at the moment as regards its role in the EU.
"My belief is that Lisbon Treaty is crucial for the decision-making process in the EU. Many of the [issues] that were pointed out as failings of the EU such as democracy, open-ness: in my view, the treaty resolves all those and has a lot to offer in engaging the citizens of Europe more meaningfully."
She said that Fine Gael has argued for a new constitutional position akin to the Comptroller and Auditor General to protect the rights of Irish citizens in their dealings with Europe.
The Irish Times columnist Sarah Carey described the last referendum campaign as "not an honest debate". She said the Government was too wrapped up with former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's appearances at the Planning Tribunal.
She said that there had been a measure of dishonesty in the No campaign and also pointed to a phenomenon where eurosceptimism was imported via the Irish editions of British newspapers.
She said that circumstances have altered in the past six months.
"Maybe a No vote in good times was a smart decision. In a new environment and changing times maybe it's alright to put forward the message that it's OK to change our minds," she said.
The meeting was chaired by the media academic Kevin Rafter.
