Libertas founder Declan Ganley has told a news conference in Dublin that he is re-entering the debate on the Libson Treaty because of what he claimed was an ‘astonishing degree of misrepresentation’ of the Yes side.
Three months ago Mr Ganley said he would not campaign in a second Lisbon Referendum after he failed to win a seat in the European Parliament.
Mr Ganley claimed the Yes side had ‘resorted to lying in their desperation’, and that the guarantees were ‘meaningless’.
Mr Ganley said he did not want to re-engage in the debate, and that his intervention was not about him, it was about Ireland's place in Europe and the future of the European Union.
Asked about the failure of Libertas to win a mandate in the European elections, Mr Ganley said his intervention in the referendum campaign was about ‘standing up for the truth, and the truth doesn't require a mandate’.
The Taoiseach has said that it is up to the people to judge the position of Mr Ganley.
Speaking in Dublin earlier today, Mr Cowen said the Government is committed to running its own campaign and that there are many positive reasons to vote Yes.
Mr Cowen said his understanding of Mr Ganley's position during the European Parliament campaign was that without a mandate he was not in a position to lead a second anti-Lisbon treaty campaign.
But Mr Cowen said that in a referendum every citizen can give their view.
He said the Government will be doing its own positive campaigning right throughout the country and anything that comes up that needs rebuttal will be addressed.
On Mr Ganley's accusation that the Yes side is lying and misrepresenting the situation, Mr Cowen said the Government's approach is based on the factual situation, as it negotiated the treaty, and went and got the guarantees.
Asked about the opinion poll findings on people's voting intentions, Mr Cowen said the Government still had to continue with the campaign, and work hard to get out to all areas of the country, and communicate a positive message.
He said he thinks more and more people are coming to the view that we are stronger with Europe and the scale and magnitude of the problems we face requires us to work with others who can help us solve our problems.
Martin warns against complacency
The Minister for Foreign Affairs has warned against complacency following the results of the latest opinion poll on the Lisbon Treaty.
Micheál Martin welcomed the results of the Red C poll in today’s Sunday Business Post but said the Yes campaign must not become complacent.
The poll shows that 52% of all those surveyed said they will vote for the Treaty, with 25% saying no and 23% undecided.
The Red C poll also shows support for Fianna Fáil has increased by three points to 24% since the last Red C poll at the end of May. Fine Gael is down one to 33%; Labour gains one at 19%, while the Greens are up one to 5%.
Sinn Féin drop two points to 8% and Independents and others are also down two to 11%.
