FF concedes enlargement possible without Nice

Senior Fianna Fáil figures conceded today that an Irish rejection of the Nice treaty would not halt EU enlargement, but warned it would delay growth by "several years".

The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, told a press conference this afternoon that enlargement was on track to take place as planned at the end of 2004 following today's EU recommendation on the entry of 10 countries.

The only obstacle to this would be an Irish No vote, he said, adding that every one of the candidate countries has expressed the hope that Ireland will ratify the treaty.

"If the Irish people were to say No... I have no doubt, down the line, that other mechanisms might be found in years to come to get over that situation," he said. "But I don't think the people of Ireland will be forgiven by the 10 applicant countries."

Mr Willie O'Dea, junior minister at the Department of Justice, agreed that enlargement would take place eventually, but by then "the damage will have been done".

Mr Brennan warned against sending the message to our EU partners and trading powers such as the United States that Ireland has "gone cold" on the idea of the European Union. Ireland will not lose anything by passing the treaty, but rather we will "gain significantly," he insisted.

The transport minister also accused the No camp of being anti-Europe. The opponents to the Nice treaty within Ireland "have been against Europe since we first joined," he argued. "They will say and do anything necessary to try and damage Europe."

Separately, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, welcomed this afternoon's EC announcement. He said a Yes vote would ensure Ireland "remains at the heart of Europe". He said Ireland would benefit from this enlargement, "as it has benefited from every previous enlargement."