EIRE : A VICTORY FOR IRISH DEMOCRACY AND FOR THE PEOPLE OF EUROPE
Celtic League Convenor (and Chairman of the Irish Branch of the Celtic League), Cathal Ó Luain has welcomed the result of the Irish Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. He said:
«The Irish Branch was active in the campaign against the Treaty. The Treaty was rejected by the Irish electorate with 54 % voting against in a poll turnout of 53% of the electorate ( this turnout is significant in the context of the rerun of the Nice referendum, rejected but then resubmitted and passed on a much lesser (35 %) turnout, so no questions can be raised about the validity of the result and that at least is recognised by the losing Yes side).
The political establishment in Ireland and Europe may well be in a state of shock but this decision must be respected!
EU Treaties must be ratified unanimously. Each country ratifies a Treaty on the assumption that all other countries will do so too. If one country says that it cannot ratify a Treaty as it stands - in Ireland's case because the Irish people have rejected it - there is no point in the other countries proceeding, and the Irish Government should request them to stop.
The signs at the present are ominous. While the French and Dutch people who rejected the Constitution, (forerunner of this Treaty), are celebrating, the French/ German political powers have already said it must be submitted again! So much for democracy and the obvious contempt the rulers of Europe have for their citizens. All other countries ignored their citizens and opted for adoption in their parliaments ( the necessity for an Irish referendum was established by a Supreme Court judgement following an action by R ,Crotty), knowing full well they would be rejected in referenda. EU Commissioner Barosso has called for the ratification procedure to continue in the few other countries yet to address it, why if it requires unanimity? Isolate the Irish and bully them into submission in one form or another seems to be the order of the day. Let us ensure this this not happen!
The NO majority reflects much wider concern at the way the EU project is going. Representative members of the Irish political class have broken with the predominant uncritical consensus on the Euro-Federalist project .This provides Ireland and Europe with an opportunity to take a fundamental look at the EU integration process. Neither the Irish people nor the peoples of the other EU countries want an EU that is given the constitutional form of a State, as the Lisbon Treaty and the EU Constitution proposed, even though this issue was not highlighted in the referendum. The peoples of Europe will not tolerate such a fundamental subversion of their national democracy and independence. Even if this federalised EU were to be brought off, it would not be sustainable.»
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
15/06/08
■Having read your article about the victory for Irish democracy, I am just absolutely non-plussed as to how the author tries to bring across his viewpoint.
It was simply an act of democracy, nothing further. I am sure that he as well is aware about the broad spectrum of silent partners in this «victory», ranging from extreme left to fascists. I cannot find this anywhere in his article. Furthermore there is no mentioning of the actual arguments as to why the referendum was rejected. Instead he talks about «ominous signs», «obvious contempt» and «they would be rejected» Not really a great endorsement of one's arguments.
Not enough that he isn't even trying to analyse what was the reason behind the no vote, he is putting his own interest to the fore by implying that the whole rejection is actually about something else, «even though this issue was not highlighted in the referendum»!??
This article belittles the Irish in saying that they don't know why they were actually voting yes or no!
I would appreciate a bit more common sense as it is usually the case in ABP articles.
Thanks
bregen