The rejection of the Treaty of Nice has the potential to destroy future relations with countries applying for European Union membership, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr O Cuiv, has warned.
Speaking at the publication of an information guide on the Treaty of Nice and Seville Declarations in Galway yesterday, Mr O Cuiv said the need for good relations with other states was of the utmost importance in an enlarged Europe.
"One of the downsides of the rejection of the treaty in the last referendum was a perception in applicant countries that the reason Irish people voted No was because we didn't want to share our prosperity with them.
"It is unfortunate that the majority of No voters never intended to send such a signal.
"However, another No vote would potentially destroy strong friendships that are being built up with these countries.
"In the enlarged Europe of the future, the need for good relations with all states, but particularly with new applicant states, will be of the utmost importance," Mr O Cuiv said.
The Minister indicated he would be voting in favour of the treaty: he admitted voting No in the last referendum, despite having campaigned for a vote in favour.
He said he had already explained his reasons for voting No and compared the situation to Sinn Féin sitting in Stormont, where fundamentally different decisions could be made.
The Minister said the referendum was not just a repeat of the last vote on Nice.
"The fundamental difference this time is that we are putting in a cast-iron commitment in the proposal that Ireland could not be involved in a common defence in the European Union without a further referendum taking place, so it is not the same as the last time," he said.
"Countries in eastern Europe got the message last time that it was a vote against them, which is potentially disastrous because I see them as potential allies. Some of these countries are the same size as Ireland and have shared our type of history, and they would be potential allies for us in the future."
He said there had been a lot of misinformed debate in the past that a vote in favour of the treaty would jeopardise the agricultural sector in this country.
"I disagree with those commentators who see the coming of a large number of small farmers into the European Union as a threat," Mr O Cuiv said.
"Given that many of the applicant countries have large rural populations, I'm sure that the increased number and percentage of people living in rural areas and on small farms will only lead to the strengthening of that voice in Europe.
" In the long term this should result in the readjustment of policy in favour of rural areas.
"As a person working and living in rural Ireland, I see the enlargement of the European Union as a very exciting development for the future of rural Ireland and Europe.
"Allowing more states to join the EU would go a long way to ensuring the re-energisation and diversification of life in rural areas and to stopping the constant migration of our young people to the towns and cities," the Minister said.