Sinn Fein, the Greens and the Socialist Party have called for a referendum on the Treaty of Nice on the basis that it constitutes a threat to Irish neutrality, a diminution of Irish sovereignty and a further step towards transforming the European Union into a military superstate.
Chairing a joint news conference in Dublin, Mr Roger Cole of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance said the referendum was needed "so that the people can decide whether they agree with the terms of the Treaty of Nice". Participants in the news conference stressed they did not want the Nice vote on the same day as a referendum on abortion or a general election.
The Green MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna, said the Nice Treaty had "changed the whole structure of the European Union quite dramatically". Qualified Majority Voting had been extended to a large number of new areas and this represented a "serious erosion" of Irish democracy because, even if a number of states were against certain laws, they could be outvoted.
Ireland had lost "quite a large percentage" of its voting strength on the Council of Ministers. If the Irish Government did not like a decision that was taken, there was "absolutely nothing" it could do about it and this was "completely undemocratic".
The Sinn Fein TD, Mr Caoimhghin O Caolain, said it was a "farce" that the outcome of the Nice Summit had been discussed in the Dail for only 70 minutes. Media coverage had focused exclusively on the Irish right to nominate a Commissioner but this was totally eclipsed in importance by the reweighting of votes on the European Council.
It was "vital" that the Government should not repeat the mistake it made in May 1998, when the referendums on the Belfast Agreement and the Amsterdam Treaty were held on the same day.
Mr Andy Storey of Action From Ireland (AFrI), which campaigns on a variety of social and political issues, expressed strong concern about the military aspects of the Nice Treaty, particularly the codification of the Rapid Reaction Force (RRF). The Government had said Irish troops would only be deployed on a case-by-case basis, but it could not be trusted on issues of defence policy.
The Socialist Party TD, Mr Joe Higgins, pointed out that he had been suspended from the Dail until January because he protested at not having a voice in the 70-minute debate on the Nice Treaty. There was no question that the RRF was the "armed military wing" of the EU, aimed at putting it on an equal footing with the US. The Government and the major political parties in Ireland had tried to dodge the issue: "Ordinary people will not wear such an alliance."
Mr Higgins said a referendum was "absolutely critical" and the terms should be put in a very clear way to the people. The Government would try to "steamroll it through" on grounds of economic necessity. "If the Government can avoid a referendum, they will avoid it."
Mr Cole said if a protocol excluding Ireland from the Rapid Reaction Force were added to the Treaty, PANA would not oppose it, but this was extremely unlikely. He said an "Irish regiment" of 850 troops was pledged to the RRF to impose the wishes of a European elite. The politicians on the platform all said they were opposed to the treaty in both its military and non-military aspects.
Mr Cole called upon all the elected representatives in Dail Eireann and the Northern Ireland Assembly to demand a referendum throughout Ireland. He pointed out that over 38 per cent of voters had opposed the Amsterdam Treaty. Asked why the Labour Party was not on the platform, Mr Cole said it was not asked to attend.