Anthony Coughlan – a rebuttal

Anthony Coughlan, of The National Platform, has been contributing op-ed pieces to regional newspapers calling for a "no" vote in the October referendum. One of these was published in my local paper, the Mayo News.

In his article, Mr Coughlan says:

Some recent articles and comments which the Irish Times has carried quite drip with hostility and contempt towards the No-side advocates, even though they are only seeking to uphold the majority judgement that was given by Irish voters last year on exactly the same Treaty as is being presented to them again in the October 2 referendum re-run.

Is it exactly the same treaty? Yes, in that the text of the Lisbon treaty itself hasn't changed since the last referendum. But is that the whole story?