FF director for EU poll warns Coalition over 'point-scoring'

DÁIL REPORT:FIANNA FÁIL's director of elections for the EU referendum has warned Government parties against using the campaign to "score cheap political points".

Clare TD Timmy Dooley told the Dáil that parties backing a Yes vote “must desist from engaging in political sniping on this issue”. Mr Dooley was appointed by his party to run its campaign in support of the fiscal treaty.

He was speaking on the final day of debate on the legislation allowing the referendum to take place on May 31st.

The Bill was passed by 93 votes to 21, with Independent TDs Shane Ross, Stephen Donnelly and Michael Healy-Rae supporting the Government.

Mr Dooley criticised the contribution of Minister for Justice Alan Shatter to the referendum Bill debate in which he made repeated references to the “reckless spending”, “bad politics” and lack of fiscal discipline of the previous government. He also condemned remarks made yesterday by Minister of State for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton.

He said their “politically partisan comments” served only to infuriate Fianna Fáil members working to ensure “we get our supporters out to vote in favour of the treaty”. Mr Dooley added that it would be helpful if those Ministers who tended to put “their feet in their mouths when speaking on various issues” said little about the treaty in the next six weeks.

The Fianna Fáil director of elections was critical of the Coalition’s handling of household and water metering charges. He said he hoped its information campaign would mark a leap forward from this. He added that its launch of a referendum website “smacks of laziness” because it had operated previously and was not new as the Government claimed.

Fine Gael and Labour “must run an earnest, energetic and positive campaign”, he said.

Minister for Arts Jimmy Deenihan urged people in receipt of social welfare and other benefits to “vote to protect them”. Without access to EU funds it could have “serious implications” for those dependent on the taxpayer “to provide them with job supports or welfare benefits”.

Sinn Féin’s Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, whose party rejected the Bill and opposes the treaty, said Fine Gael and Labour wanted the electorate to “set in constitutional concrete the failed policy that has brought us mass unemployment and emigration, cuts to vital public services and stealth taxes”.

Independent TD Catherine Murphy, who opposed the treaty, sought an amendment to “lessen the damage in terms of wording”.

She believed the wording would reduce the role of the European Parliament and “the entire democratic aspect is pretty much being replaced by bureaucracy and the stronger countries in Europe”.

However, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore rejected the amendment. He said the fiscal compact had to be in conformity with existing European Union treaties and it provided for the involvement of the EU institutions and the Oireachtas.