Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has called on voters to take into account the role played by the European Union in the peace process when deliberating on the Lisbon Treaty.
He described the EU's institutions as having played a key role both in public and behind the scenes.
Mr Ahern said that the treaty would help the Irish economy face the challenges ahead as well as helping to keep Ireland at the centre of the European project.
However Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has said the reality is that Ireland is a small State and the government in negotiating the Lisbon Treaty had agreed to give away power by stealth to larger states.
Adams comments on DUP leadership
Speaking on RTÉ's This Week Programme, Mr Adams also said he was concerned that there is a move within the DUP to remove Ian Paisley from the leadership but he said Sinn Féin has a good working relationship with the party's leadership, including Peter Robinson.
He said the British and Irish governments need to deliver on the commitment to transfer policing to Northern Ireland by May.
Mr Adams said Sinn Féin made a mistake at the last general election by not changing tact when Fianna Fáil said it was not going to enter a coalition with his party.
He said the electorate should judge Sinn Féin, not on the number of seats it has but by the changes it has been able to bring about which it has succeeded to do in Northern Ireland.
He also said that the death of Armagh man, Paul Quinn was due to criminal activity and those responsible should be brought to justice subject to due process. Mr Adams said he had made no personal accusation against Mr Quinn and anyone with information about the killing should come
