Minister for Labour Affairs Dara Calleary has hit out at a number of posters put up by Coir, the anti-Lisbon Treaty group, which have appeared in the towns around the county in the last week.
Deputy Calleary told the Mayo Advertiser: “The poster on the minimum wage is just wrong. Lisbon has nothing to with the minimum wage, that is something that has been agreed by Government with unions and other groups. Lisbon can’t change the minimum wage. And the Lisbon Treaty will enshrine a lot more rights for workers into law to protect them into the future.”
With the October referendum coming up fast, there is a lot of work to be done on the ground to inform people about what they are voting for in the referendum, said Deputy Calleary.
“I was out and about last weekend, campaigning for a yes vote, a lot of people seemed to be surprised that we were out this early on the campaign trail. But we don’t underestimate how much of a fight this referendum will be to get it passed. We’re 36 years in Europe and have always been at the heartbeat off all the decisions that are made there and it’s where Ireland needs to be in the future, and the Lisbon Treaty will ensure that we stay there. Ireland has punched well above its weight in Europe in those years and will continue to do so, when we pass this treaty. It’s vital for our economic recovery and progress in the future that we’re right there in Europe.”
