The wording for the second referendum on the Nice Treaty has been published by the Government.
The main difference from the wording of the first referendum is the inclusion of a prohibition on Ireland entering into a European Union-wide defence policy without further amendment to the Constitution.
A Government statement this afternoon said that it believes it is in "the Irish people's national and personal interest that Ireland remain a fully engaged member of the enlarged European Union. Ratification of the Nice Treaty is therefore essential". "The insertion of this provision in the constitution, which involves a significant change from the last Nice referendum, guarantees that Ireland could not participate in such a common defence policy without further amendment to the constitution," said the statement.
"That amendment could only be made if the Irish people vote in favour of it at a future referendum."The Taoiseach said this morning that the EU faces an "unprecedented crisis" if Ireland fails to ratify the Treaty.Mr Ahern was speaking at the Forum on Europe in Dublin Castle ahead of announcing the precise wording of the referendum which is expected be put to the people in October.Socialist Party TD Mr Joe Higgins said the Taoiseach's comments were an 'apocalyptic warning' and that he had "no doubt the chorus of dire warnings is going to increase".Mr Ahern said that the EU's declaration on Irish neutrality at last weekend's summit in Seville confirms Ireland's neutrality. "There is nothing in the Treaty whatsoever that affects our military neutrality," he said."Our future and that of our children remains at the heart of Europe," said Mr Ahern.The Taoiseach said that he does not want Ireland "to be an Iceland or a Norway" outside the EU and said that the Government is "committed to communicating Ireland's vision for Europe..."Our short and long term prospects are bound inextricably to the European project," he said.Also speaking at the Forum this morning, Fine Gael leader Mr Enda Kenny said that his party is "very pro-Europe, we'll campaign vigorously for the ratification of the Nice Treaty".Green Party MEP Ms Patricia McKenna said that her party is "extremely disappointed in the Taoiseach's attitude to the results of the Nice Treaty referendum" and that Mr Ahern had "gone out to Europe and colluded with the likes of Gerhard Schroeder".The Labour Party's deputy leader, Mr Brendan Howlin, reiterated his party's support for the Treaty and enlargement, but warned that: "The same issue in the same way should not be re-presented [to the people]".He added that: "We will not be supporting simply a re-run of something that was put to the Irish people already".Answering questions on the issue in the Dáil this afternoon, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Brian Cowen, said that: "All of the safeguards of our traditional neutrality are already contained in the Treaty of Nice," and that therefore it was not necessary to have an opt-out clause.An Oireachtas European Affairs committee is also due to be set up today. The committee is to be given extra powers by legislation in the autumn to demand documentation from Government departments on EU affairs.The committee is intended to examine proposed EU legislation before it is finalised, and make recommendations to the Government as to what stance it should take.The move is designed to counter criticism that there is a serious "democratic deficit" in relation to European legislation which often takes effect in Ireland without being scrutinised by the Oireachtas.The Nice Treaty, rejected by referendum in June 2001, must be ratified in all 15 EU member-states by the end of this year, or else it falls. The second referendum here is now expected in the second half of October.
