'Govt must deliver on economic promises'
The Government must live up to its commitment that the Lisbon Treaty will deliver jobs and take Ireland out of recession, the No movement said today.
Dejected campaigners also accused politicians of running a dishonest battle by preying on people’s fears over the future of the economy.
Patricia McKenna, who headed the anti-treaty group The People’s Movement, said the referendum result was inevitable.
“The fears and insecurities of voters were skilfully tapped into by an illegally over-funded Yes campaign to ensure that people voted not out of certainty but out of fear,” said the former MEP.
“Those on the Yes side now have a responsibility to deliver on jobs and economic recovery.”
Exchequer figures this week revealed the public finances are more than €20bn in the red, with the return of emigration and mass unemployment hitting tax revenues hard.
Elsewhere the unemployment rate is 12.6%, with more than 400,000 people signing on the dole.
Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald said voters clearly listened to the Government’s message that Lisbon, economic recovery and job creation were bound with each other.
“We said in the course of the campaign that to prey on people’s fears about the economy was a dishonourable thing to do, and I believe it was,” said the former MEP.
Controversial No lobby group Cóir repeated claims made during the campaign that the Lisbon Treaty could dramatically reduce wages.
Spokesman Richard Greene said people sadly believed the lies of the Government.
“Irish people who voted Yes will soon find out that the same people who brought them the worst economic crisis in our history told them lies,” he said.
Cóir now plans to launch itself as a political party ahead of the next general election with the support of those who voted No.
Richard Boyd Barrett, of the People Before Profit Alliance, maintained the Yes campaign was presented as a jobs creation programme.
“Worst of all the Yes side scared the people into believing that their jobs and the economy were doomed if they voted No,” he said.
“We have seen unprecedented levels of political irresponsibility.”
Socialist Party MEP Joe Higgins added: “Lisbon is only an episodic event.
“All the issues, the crashed economy, the massive growing unemployment, all those issues continue.
“Attention will now move to working people reacting to those, in strike action, industrial action.”
