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1 May 2012

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Labour and Fine Gael ‘running scared’ of Austerity Treaty debate

Sinn Féin TD Mary Lou McDonald makes a stand

'They’re running scared of real debate and prefer easy interviews in RTÉ to facing the voters'

FINE GAEL and Labour Party TDs and MEPs won’t attend a public debate in Wicklow to defend their call for a ‘Yes’ vote for the EU Austerity Treaty. Sinn Féin Councillor John Brady – who is campaigning for a 'NO' vote – said: “They’re running scared of real debate and prefer easy interviews in RTÉ to facing the voters.”

Wicklow Labour and Fine Gael councillors and TDs along with Labour MEP Nessa Childers were invited to take part in the public debate on 8 May but none has accepted the invitation.

The ULA (also supporting a NO vote) has accepted. Only Independent TD Stephen Donnelly seems prepared to stand up for the ‘Yes’ side.

Sinn Féin’s John Brady said:

“The Austerity Treaty will impose up to €6billion of additional austerity after 2015. This means more cuts to health and education services and more taxes and charges on low-income and middle-income families. Is it any wonder that Deputies Anne Ferris, Andrew Doyle, Simon Harris and Billy Timmins are reluctant to share a platform to try and justify these additional cuts.”

The invitation is still open.

  • In the Sunday Independent, Political Reporter John Drennan said:

The shambolic Government referendum campaign has been pushed into further chaos in the wake of claims that a key Fine Gael campaign strategy will be to ‘put the frighteners on the electorate’ if it fears that there is a real danger that the referendum may be lost.

In the wake of a top secret FG party meeting, astonished TDs and senators told the Sunday Independent they had been informed by the party’s referendum director, Simon Coveney, that ‘the Government would prefer to win the referendum by being nice but if necessary we will change tack’.

One party grandee told the Sunday Independent: "We couldn't believe it when Simon said if the campaign is not going well after the first week we are going to have to put the frighteners on the public and really spell it out,'' and added, "They have really lost contact with the voters if they think Simon's 'we'll be nice but if necessary we will be nasty' line will work."

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