O Cuiv defends his change of mind on Nice

The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has defended his decision to change his mind about the Nice Treaty, in spite of accusations by the Galway Green Party of a "shocking sell-out".

Mr Eamon Ó Cuív has also denied that his decision to support the treaty in the second referendum was associated in any way with the Taoiseach's decision to promote him to Cabinet earlier this month.

"Anybody who thinks I accepted office with a gun to my head on this issue doesn't understand me and doesn't understand the Taoiseach, who is a democrat," Mr Ó Cuív said. He had had a brief discussion with Mr Ahern on "a number of issues" before his promotion, but it was his personal decision to confirm publicly that he intended to vote in favour of the treaty on the next occasion. In doing this, he fully accepted the collective responsibility of Cabinet to speak with one voice.

In June last year, Mr Ó Cuív, who was then junior minister for rural development, caused some controversy when he said he had broken with Government policy and voted against the treaty. One of his stated reasons was his objection to EU bureaucrats obtaining more power. Mr Ó Cuív's opposition gained him much support and respect in a constituency where small farmers and inshore fishermen have become disenchanted with the so-called "benefits" of EU membership and where Special Areas of Conservation are a live issue. In the recent election, he topped the poll in Galway West and had more than 2,000 first-preference votes over quota.

In spite of speculation that he could not be promoted to Cabinet because of his stance, Mr Ó Cuív was selected for a full ministry. The demotion of his cousin, Síle de Valera, and the perception that his colleague, the former marine minister Frank Fahey, was to blame for Fianna Fáil's failure to win a third seat in Galway West, may have been contributory factors.

However, his brief is also being seen as an attempt to stave off the threat posed by elected independents on the western seaboard, including Marian Harkin in Sligo-Leitrim and Dr Jerry Cowley in Mayo.

The second Nice referendum was taking place in "new circumstances", Mr Ó Cuív told this column. Ireland's vote against Nice last June had had a "dynamic effect" on the EU and the ensuing debate had been "very positive".

"Instead of blaming the people for the result, the Government acknowledged that people had to be listened to and there has been a very serious debate over the last six months," Mr Ó Cuív said.

He still wished to ensure that there was less bureaucracy at EU level, but believed that support for a federalist European state would be dealt a body blow by enlargement. The threat to remove fiscal policy from national governments and the creation of a European army had also been his primary concerns, but the Government's opposition to all of these was articulated clearly in the new Programme for Government, he said.

The solemn declaration on Irish neutrality issued at the European summit in Seville last Friday "carried great weight", a point missed by his "friends in the Green Party", Mr Ó Cuív added.

Mr Niall Ó Brolcháin of the Green Party in Galway has described his decision as a "good old fashioned Fianna Fáil U-turn". The Nice Treaty had not changed and would be presented to the people unaltered in the next referendum, Mr Ó Brolcháin added.