Libertas.org

Fundamental questions have to be asked about the Government's ability to negotiate the Lisbon Treaty following revelations that two senior members of the cabinet do not understand how the EU commission works, Libertas Chairman Declan Ganley said this afternoon.

Speaking at a European Movement Debate in Allied Irish Bank headquarters, Mr. Ganley said that statements by Tánaiste Mary Coughlan and Social Affairs Minister Mary Hanafin that larger countries currently had more commissioners than Ireland were "very disturbing".

Mr. Ganley told the audience of over 200 AIB employees that in the context of Mrs. Coughlan's recent responsibilities in terms of representing Ireland's interests in critical WTO talks, the remarks were particularly offensive.

"Mary Coughlan says that Lisbon is "good for Ireland, and good for Europe". How is she fit to make that judgement when she does not understand how Europe works. How can you judge changes, and their effects, when you don't know the status quo?

The Tánaiste was until recently responsible for keeping Peter Mandelson in check. She has now made the same error twice in less than five days. Once is a slip of the tongue, twice is glaring incompetence. She has mislead the public on the issue of the WTO Veto, and now she is misleading them on her own understanding of the EU itself.

She lectures the people of Ireland on the Lisbon treaty, but has she read it? If she had, she would not make the mistake she did. We know that the Taoiseach has not read it, now it seems his deputy has not done so either. They are also denying the public the opportunity to read it.

Mary Hanafin made the same error at a Fianna Fáil meeting in Crumlin last night. She also has no excuse.

If ever there were evidence that we are being lied to, this is it. I challenge the honesty of somebody who insists to the public that changes to an institution are good, when that person does not understand the institution that those changes are being applied to.

If they do not understand it, they are lying to the Irish people, and should be held accountable on June 12th".