Interview: 'There's always a Plan B,' says Sinn Féin[fr][de] 

The leading representative of Ireland's main 'no' party, Sinn Féin, said that contrary to statements made by Commission President José Manuel Barroso, "there is always a Plan B" in the event of Ireland rejecting the Treaty. 

Eoin Ó'Broin, Sinn Féin's director of policy for the Lisbon Treaty campaign, lashed out at the Irish 'yes' campaign, claiming that "there is a sense out there that the government is being bullish, even bullying, in some of its approaches - saying that Ireland will be the pariah of Europe and that we'll lose jobs as well as foreign direct investment" in the event of a 'no' result. 

Instead, he argued that "There's always a plan B – in politics as in life. The question is whether there is a will to have a plan B, and the political consensus is saying very clearly that there is no such will at the moment". 

"If there's a 'no' in Ireland, that will could emerge very quickly," he said, adding that Sinn Féin believes the Treaty is "a bad deal for Ireland, the European Union and the developing world".

Meanwhile, leading Irish 'yes' campaigners meeting in Brussels yesterday said the Sinn Féin position was "misleading and disingenuous". Speaking at a press conference at the European Parliament, Irish centre-right MEPs Avril Doyle and Marian Harkin claimed that the EU would "come to a shuddering halt" if Ireland voted 'no'. 

The panel, consisting of assembled Irish MEPs and EU experts, rebuffed the 'no' camp’s assertion that a plan B could be found. "This is Plan B," said Avril Doyle, "the European Constitution was plan A". Marian Harkin claimed that "Sinn Féin is telling voters that if they vote 'no', we can go back to the table and renegotiate this. I don't think that's the case." 

In a related development, the Czech government this week sent out its programme for the EU presidency starting in January 2009 in two versions in case not all countries ratify the Lisbon Treaty by the end of the year. 

"We are sending a reserve alternative in the event the treaty is not valid," Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra told journalists in Prague. 

On one point all sides seem to agree – the outcome of the referendum is still "all to play for". Urging Irish voters to come out and vote in large numbers, Avril Doyle said "this last week before the referendum will be critical, and nothing can be taken for granted".

To read the interview in full, please click here.