Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

We must have a meaningful debate on the direction in which we want to go.

I take issue with some of the comments made by Senators in regard to the Lisbon treaty. The forthcoming referendum represents the greatest challenge the State will face in the weeks, months and years ahead. I welcome the various farmers' groups, trade unions, women's groups and community organisations which are actively campaigning for a rejection of the treaty to ensure Ireland remains at the heart of Europe and gets a better deal.

There have been accusations that those on the No side, particularly my own party, have been peddling untruths. I refute that accusation. Those campaigning for the treaty during the previous referendum warned that its rejection would result in a withdrawal of foreign direct investment. That has proved to be incorrect. On the contrary, the IDA recently confirmed there has been a 14% increase in such investment in the period since the rejection of the treaty last year.

When the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, says a second rejection of the treaty will be tantamount to our withdrawal from Europe, he is putting forward an absolute untruth. The Wall Street Journal, a prominent and influential publication, has described such comments by the Minister and his Government colleagues as "patent absurdities".