JOINT APPEAL:THE LEADERS of the three main political parties yesterday said that ensuring the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty was a political priority for Ireland that obliged them to transcend their political differences and allegiances.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore held a joint press conference in the IFSC quarter in Dublin in which all three urged the 80 per cent of voters who support them to vote Yes on Thursday.
In their opening comments during a rare joint appearance, all three leaders stressed the significance of sharing a platform, which they said demonstrated that the parties are wholly united on this issue. The conference lasted an hour.
Mr Cowen said the three main parties were participants in a diverse parliamentary democracy where adversarial debate is commonplace.
"However, in the midst of different views and opinions there are issues where we stand together in the overall national interest and beyond partisan party politics," he said.
For his part, Mr Kenny said Fine Gael had a different viewpoint from the other parties on most issues. He continued: "We stand together today, united, on one of the most important issues facing our country, the need to say Yes to the Lisbon Treaty."
Similarly, Mr Gilmore said: "We have to step outside the normal party political issues that divide us and look at the treaty itself."
During a question-and-answer session that lasted for more than 35 minutes, the Taoiseach defended the treaty as the best possible deal for Ireland, saying that the argument of the No side that the Government could negotiate a better deal did not stand up to scrutiny. "It's a fair and an honourable compromise. None of our red lines are crossed. We retain our veto on taxation. We don't have any change in our security or defence. Our traditions there are totally respected . . . All of those issues are catered for," he said. He acknowledged that communicating the message in favour of the treaty had proven difficult. "One of the reasons is the orchestrated tactic of confusion and fear that has been going on in the No side."
However, he argued that the campaign had reached a turning point in recent days. "In the last week or 10 days people are coming to our view more regularly. They have started to inform themselves of the issues through the various documentation being made available.
"I also feel that at the end of the day that people have a feeling abut this. Do we continue in this direction especially in the uncertain times we are facing economically."
Mr Gilmore also contended that there was no basis for arguments being made by the No side.
"Not a single one of the 'No' arguments has stood up to scrutiny and debate.
"They argue that it will increase taxation. It is clear that the veto remains. There is not going to be tax harmonisation. They argue that our neutral position will be undermined. That is clearly not the case. Our neutrality is clearly copper-fastened in the text. They argued that abortion will come in the back door. That is not the case," he said.
He asserted that with Ireland and Europe facing economic uncertainty, "this isn't the time for this country to throw a wobbly on Europe". In response to a question about the The Irish Times poll, and its finding that almost 60 per cent of people are struggling to understand the text, Mr Kenny suggested that poll had acted as a wake-up call to the Yes side.
"Complacency is always the enemy of a referendum . . . I welcome the fact that the poll at the weekend was so stark about the position of the treaty. People since then have started to take notice of how important it is to actually go and vote and prove the point that is made by [ the three parties] that represent 80 per cent of the electorate."
