MINISTER FOR European Affairs Dick Roche has accused anti-Lisbon Treaty group Libertas of plumbing "a new low" in Irish referendum campaigning with its tactic of putting up billboards attacking politicians in their own constituencies.
Libertas will erect up to four billboards in Fine Gael TD Lucinda Creighton's Dublin South East constituency referring to remarks she made in 2003 in support of a "European army", John McGuirk, a spokesman for the organisation said last night.
The advertisement features a photograph of Ms Creighton next to a statement attributed to her in which she says: "We need a European army." The billboard goes on to ask: "She's voting Yes to Lisbon. Are you?" above a strapline reading: "Facts, not politics."
Ms Creighton is Fine Gael's spokesperson on European affairs and is also deputy director of the party's national campaign in support of a Yes vote in the forthcoming referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
The billboard is one of three personality-driven posters Libertas has designed as part of its campaign. One billboard due to run in rural areas will feature EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern with a strapline reading: "Don't vote for Mandelson's Europe."
Another will feature Mr Ahern and Enda Kenny with a slogan reading: "Don't let them sell you a bad deal." Mr McGuirk said the organisation would put up more than 160 billboards across the country this week.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Roche criticised the Libertas billboard campaign as "highly personalised" and "very negative in both tone and presentation". He described the billboards as constituting "a new low" in Irish referendum campaigns. "This is a very regrettable tactic. It is very odd behaviour for an organisation that proclaimed that the referendum vote should be 'about the contents of the treaty' and not about personalities," he said.
Mr McGuirk dismissed Mr Roche's criticisms. In relation to the Creighton billboard, he said Libertas had merely quoted her directly. "We have taken a quote and said let's discuss this quote. Dick Roche has previously compared Libertas to extreme right groups and individuals, so for him to turn around now and accuse us of reaching a new low in negative campaigning is simply dishonest."