Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs Ms Liz O'Donnell today appealed to Irish people's sense of solidarity in callng for ratification of the Nice Treaty.
Speaking in support of the Nice Treaty referendum bill in the Dáil, Ms O’Donnell said: "The Nice Treaty is about the hope of a stable, peaceful and prosperous future for the nations of Europe. It is about creating an EU which is able to welcome in as many as 13 new member states and 180 million more people."
Ms O'Donnell said the peoples of the applicant member states had suffered from internal and external oppression throughout the 20th century. "The scale of the achievement of ending that oppression once and for all, which becomes possible within European institutions, would be magnificent," she said.
"Our sense of solidarity with the applicant states is a function of our wider solidarity with less fortunate nations. The evidence lies in out people's commitment to overseas aid and emergency relief", she said.
Turning to the opponents of the Nice Treaty, Ms O'Donnell said: "We must appeal to the strong strain of generosity in the Irish people. This will contrast with the appeal to fear and insular approval of many of those who are opposing the Treaty."
Sinn Féin has reiterated its pledge to oppose the Treaty of Nice, describing it as a "provision for a two-class European Union".
Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin claimed today that treaty, due to be put to a national referendum in June, would create a European superstate dominated by the larger member-states to the detriment of Ireland.