DEFENCE POLICY:GREEN PARTY leader John Gormley has described as "absolutely untrue" claims that Ireland will have to increase its military spending if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified.
He also said any move towards common defence would require a separate referendum here.
“It is absolutely untrue to state that Ireland will have to spend more on military capabilities because of the Lisbon Treaty,” Mr Gormley said.
“We have a cast-iron guarantee. It is legally-binding. It states very clearly that we decide on the amount of money we spend on armaments and how we spend it. This is absolutely clear, and anybody who says otherwise is simply not telling you the truth.”
He was speaking yesterday at a press conference organised by the Green Party which was also attended by Austrian Green MEP Ulrike Lunacek, who said when the Austrian parliament ratified the treaty, it did so in the knowledge that the country’s neutrality would not be undermined.
Lieut Gen Pat Nash, former commander of the EU mission to Chad said the treaty would give the union more power to protect the most vulnerable people around the world.