Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has diverged from the official Government position that a defeat for the Lisbon Treaty would be a "disaster for the country".
In its report of an interview with the Minister during his visit to Argentina for St Patrick's week, the English language Buenos Aires Herald of March 22nd said: "There would be no dire consequence should the referendum go amiss, Ahern insisted, life will go on as it did after the French and Dutch rejected the European constitutional treaty in 2005".
The paper also reported in relation to the referendum that, "Without being complacent, the Fianna Fáil politician detected a positive mood among the population but also complaints about a lack of information which the Government was endeavouring to meet".
Asked yesterday about the apparent difference of emphasis with the Taoiseach, a spokesman for the Minister said: "He holds a more measured view but still believes the public should vote Yes, and a No vote wouldn't send out a particularly good message to prospective inward investors."
This is a significantly softer stance than that taken by the Taoiseach at the Fianna Fáil 1916 Comemoration in Arbour Hill on April 27th last. The Taoiseach said a No vote be a "disaster for the country".
He issued a stark warning against complacency among voters and politicians because a No vote would have "repercussions that would do immense damage to Ireland".
He said turn-out would be critical. "The campaign is only starting. What people have to do is take this seriously. This will not be won sitting at home or sitting in Dáil Éireann. In fact, that's how it will be lost," the Taoiseach said.
Anti-Lisbon campaigner Anthony Coughlan of the National Platform said last night: "The reality is it would not be the end of the world. The European Union would continue just as it is and would have to deal with the issue, just as the EU continued under its present arrangements after the French and Dutch referendums."
Regarding the Minister's views, he said: "It's possible there would be a No vote so they want to cover themselves. A responsible government needs to take that into account.
"I presume Dermot Ahern would represent the Foreign Affairs position and the Taoiseach would represent a more party-political position."
