After Nice ballot, Fianna Fail sends contrary messages

By Andrew Bushe

DUBLIN — With the fallout from the surprise rejection of the Nice Treaty on EU enlargement continuing to cause confusion in the Irish government, local politics and the battle for hearts and minds in South Tipperary is now moving cente stage.

The first-ever vote for the Dail on a Saturday, when polling takes place in a by-election on June 30 is a key test of the leadership of Michael Noonan, who wants to hold onto the Fine Gael seat. The government is also seeking a strong vote to calm the nerves of backbenchers.

The low poll and unexpected 54 percent rejection of Nice indicated confusion among voters, but since the 7 June result, conflicting signals have also been emerging from the government.

Junior Minister and grandson of Eamon de Valera, Eamon O Cuiv, is not to be disciplined by the taoiseach, as he did not reveal he voted "no" until after the ballot.

O Cuiv has strongly defended his role in supporting the Nice Treaty as government policy and urging people to vote "yes", while at the same time planning to vote "No" himself.

The disarray in ministerial ranks was further evident when Bertie Ahern met EU and applicant country leaders in Sweden for the first time since the Irish vote threw a spanner in the works for Europe’s grand plan.

While the taoiseach sought time to "reflect carefully" on the way forward and said he and the Government were "profoundly disappointed by the result," Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy was describing it as a "remarkably healthy development" and a "positive thing."

The minister said all the main political parties, the main employer, union, and farming groups and the print and broadcast media had been in favor of a "yes" vote.

"Yet the plain people of Ireland, in their wisdom, decided to vote "no". I think that is a very healthy sign.

"Politicians don’t like it when people vote against them, but speaking as an old-fashioned ’60s liberal, I thought it was a very healthy sign," McCreevy said.

"I take the peculiar view, and maybe it is throwback to my days as a student, that it is a remarkably healthy development in Ireland."

He said there was no point in people in Ireland or Europe criticizing the Irish people for their democratic decision, adding that Ireland was a sovereign nation and for hundreds of years "didn’t take lying down too easily."

McCreevy, who said he had voted "yes", believes that, despite the "no" vote, Irish people are very committed to enlargement of the EU.

He said there were many factors involved in the "no" vote, including the row he had with the EU about the expansionary budget he introduced last December.

"In all of the countries of Europe there is always the danger that what we, the ruling elite, often think is the correct and proper thing to do, our people back home take another view," he said.

"It’s a bad day that you don’t conclude a day by learning something. I think we shall all have learned something from last week."

The other EU leaders have made it clear there will be no-renegotiation of the treaty. The government now plans to set up an EU Forum discussion institution on a similar basis as the now defunct Forum on Northern Ireland, prior to holding another referendum.