A group of 'No to Lisbon' campaigners have shouted and jeered at Taoiseach Brian Cowen at the National Ploughing Championships in Co Kildare.
Supporters of Sinn Féin and the Farmers Against Lisbon group crowded around the Taoiseach as he made his way through the trade exhibition area.
Gardaí surrounded Mr Cowen as he was brought to the nearby food hall. Protestors shouted angry remarks at the Taoiseach about the impact that the Lisbon Treaty would have and his role in Government.
Speaking to RTÉ News about the incident, Mr Cowen said he had no problem with people voicing their views. However, he said they should do so in a civilised fashion.
Sinn Féin held a Vote No to Lisbon event at the championships today.
Donegal County Councillor Paidraig MacLoughlainn, Sinn Féin Vice President Mary Lou McDonald and Bairbre de Brún MEP were at the Sinn Féin Lisbon information stall.
The party says the second referendum 'is a hugely controversial issue among farmers'.
Yes vote crucial for economy - Kenny
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has said a Yes vote in next week's Lisbon referendum is critical if Ireland is to recover from the current economic crisis.
Addressing the Oireachtas European Affairs Committee, Mr Kenny said anyone who believed Ireland could solve its economic problems in isolation from Europe was deluding themselves.
He said it would be easy to allow the debate to be dominated by domestic difficulties. However, he said it should not become a referendum against the Government.
Referring to the Cóir poster warning of a minimum wage of €1.84 in the event of a Yes vote, Mr Kenny said it was designed to confuse people and was absolutely irresponsible and false.
He said the European Union had no function in setting the minimum wage. The protection of workers' rights is, in fact, a core function of the EU, he said.
Mr Kenny said he believed from personal experience of meeting people around the country that the public were generally satisfied that their concerns about the Lisbon Treaty in advance of the last vote had been addressed this time round.
When asked by Sinn Féin Senator Pearse Doherty if he would ask the public to vote on Lisbon again in the event of a No vote and in the event of him becoming Taoiseach, Mr Kenny said he did not contemplate defeat of the referendum and was confident that the Irish people would vote yes this time.
Ireland will be voting on the second Lisbon referendum on 2 October.
