The Green Party has accused the Minister for the Environment, Mr Demsey, of "mudslinging" in the debate on the treaty.
Mr John Gormley TD said the Government's campaign had consisted almost entirely of smearing its opponents and pretending the treaty was necessary for enlargement. The reality was that Nice was about further integration. The Amsterdam Treaty had already catered for enlargement.
It was not true that the Green Party was opposed to enlargement, as suggested by Mr Dempsey when he accused them of blocking eastern European countries from improving their environment standards.