Barrett says reports of right-wing links a 'smear campaign'

The chief spokesman of the No to Nice campaign, Mr Justin Barrett, has strongly denied a report in today's Irish Timesthat he has close contacts with an extreme right-wing party in Germany.

Justin Barret

Mr Barrett described the story linking him with the National Democratic Party as an "extraordinary piece of gutter trash". He said he had spoken in Germany on the abortion issue, but he denied organisational links with far-right organisations.

"I am categorical about this . . . there is no link whatsoever between my party and this group," he said in an interview with LMFM radio this morning. "I may have spoken on the abortion issue, butother than the possibility than I might have accepted an invitation to speak,
there is no organisational link".

He also accused the Fianna Fáil party of originating the story as part of its "smear campaign" against the No campaign.

This allegation was denied by the Minister for Communications, Mr Dermot Ahern. "There is no mileage in it for us to bring things like this in focus," he said, speaking on the same programme. "We want to bring out a positive message about Europe".

Mr John Bruton, the Fine Gael Yes to Nice campaign director, said Mr Barrett's appearance at a meeting held by an "anti-semitic, anti-immigrant" group showed a lack of judgment. "For someone who is prominent in the No campaign to go to an event by a party on the undemocratic right, then that judgment call is relevant," he said.

The Labour Party called on Mr Barrett to "come clean" on his reported links with the neo-Nazi group. Mr Ruairí Quinn, the party leader, warned political and public life in Ireland could be "infected by the sort of racism and anti-semitism that characterised the NationalDemocratic Party in Germany".

The Green Party sought to disassociate itself from Mr Barrett, saying the revelations, which it described as "no huge surprise", should not detract from the validity of arguments in the No camp.

Greens chairman Mr John Gormley said his party has always opposed Mr Barrett's stance on immigration. "It should be obvious to any fair-minded individual that we have very little in common with Mr Barrett politically," he said.

A Sinn Féin spokesman also sought to distance his party from Mr Barrett, stressing they had "absolutely no connection" with him or the No to Nice Campaign. "These are questions for Justin Barrett to answer," the spokesman said.

Mr Anthony Coughlan of the National Platform strongly defended Mr Barrett this morning. "He's certainly no neo-fascist or racist. He's an estimable young man, although he may have been a bit politically naive to attend these meetings," he told ireland.com. Hedismissed thestory as part of the "mud slinging, smear campaign" against the No side.