The dust is settling after the bodged stitch-up that the leaders of the EU cobbled together last week in Brussels. It is all smoke and mirrors with the intent of promising absolutely nothing but hoodwinking the Irish electorate. The one thing that they are desperate is that no voter anywhere else in the EU must get a smell of a ballot paper! And national parliaments mustn’t get a look in either
There’s a mass of comment all over the Irish media and Open Europe has a brilliant 11-page briefing paper on: http://www.openeurope.org.uk/research/irishguarantees.pdf
In intoducing its briefing note OE says:-”Following the EU summit in Brussels last week, Open Europe has published a briefing on the 'guarantees' offered to Ireland in exchange for holding a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Despite promises from the Irish government that they would not force people to vote on exactly the same text a second time around, the deal reached at the EU summit last week makes no change whatsoever to the text of the Treaty, meaning Irish voters will be voting on exactly the same text they rejected last year.”
Here are some press extracts. Both main papers are in favour of the Treaty but the Independent is more biassed in its approach!
Christina Speight
1. IRISH TIMES
20.6.09
ANTI-LISBON CAMPAIGN:
IRISH ANTI-LISBON Treaty campaigners have dismissed the additional guarantees agreed at the EU summit yesterday and said they are confident a second referendum will be defeated.
Speaking at a press conference in Dublin, newly elected Socialist MEP for Dublin Joe Higgins once again insisted the EU summit was an “elaborate charade” meant to distract attention from the key issues.
“The debate on the Lisbon Treaty has yet to be held because we’ve been dealing with side issues,” he said.
Mr Higgins was determined that the secured guarantees would not mean the treaty would be ratified.
“They [the Government] will try and terrify the people because of the catastrophic economic crisis, which is highly ironic given that the political party trying to do that is the very party which is responsible for the disastrous crash.”
Patricia McKenna, chairwoman of the People’s Movement, said the treaty about to be put before the public was the same one rejected by voters last July.
“The reasons why people voted No to the treaty have not been addressed or rectified, and for that reason, once that message gets across to people, I don’t think they are going to change their vote.
“The so-called legally binding guarantees which the Government claim they fought hard to secure do not change one single aspect of the Lisbon Treaty.
“All they do is reiterate the same assurances given by EU heads of state during the first referendum,” she added.
Pádraig Mannion of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance said many of those who voted for the treaty had changed their mind.
“A lot of people who voted Yes last time out are affronted by the fact that we’re being treated like in Zimbabwe, that we get to continue voting until we get the right result. I think a lot of people who voted in favour of the treaty are upset that Irish democracy is being turned on its head.”
Sinn Féin said it was “deeply disappointing” that the Government had failed to address concerns on workers’ rights and public services.
“Today marks a missed opportunity by the Irish Government and EU leaders to tackle Europe’s new economic circumstances by producing a new treaty that can deliver real change,” said Mary Lou McDonald.
Libertas, which played a prominent role in persuading voters to reject the treaty last year, said it had no comment to make on the guarantees.
2. IRISH TIMES
22.6.09
Arts and sport stars join broad coalition for a Lisbon Yes vote
“MOVE LIPS, move minds and make new meanings flare/Like ancient beacons signalling, peak to peak. . .” Poet Seamus Heaney has lent his voice to the campaign of newly formed group Ireland for Europe, which is promoting a Yes vote on the Lisbon Treaty. The organisation was launched in Dublin yesterday.
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Other patrons listed by Ireland for Europe include U2 guitarist the Edge; U2 manager Paul McGuinness; Special Olympics promoter Mary Davis; Irish soccer captain Robbie Keane; film director Jim Sheridan; author and broadcaster Deirdre Purcell; Concern chief executive Tom Arnold; and trade unionists David Begg and Billy Attle
[etc ad infinitum! They have mobilised great celebrity support -cs]
3. IRISH TIMES 22.6.09
Lisbon protocol a charade claims McKenna
THE LEGAL guarantees given by EU leaders to Taoiseach Brian Cowen on the Lisbon Treaty amount to nothing more than a “ludicrous charade,” former Green MEP Patricia McKenna has claimed.
The impression had been given that Ireland fought long and hard in a difficult battle and then suddenly achieved something when EU heads of state agreed to a protocol enshrining the guarantees, Ms McKenna said yesterday.
She claimed the public had been given the false impression of legal certainty when this didn’t exist. This was because the treaty had not changed “one iota” and would be interpreted by the European Court of Justice.
It was “ludicrous” to think that a protocol rolling back elements of the treaty would be put in place a few years after the treaty itself. “What we have is an illusion that we have achieved something,” she told RTÉ Radio.
The No side would find the going harder this time around, she predicted.
The People before Profit group called on the electorate to reject the guarantees given to the government.
Cllr Richard Boyd Barrett said the people should not be fooled. “This is exactly the same treaty that was rejected last year. Nothing has changed,” he said.
The likely date for the next Lisbon referendum is October 2nd, but with September 25th not totally ruled out, according to Government sources.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen said the date would be decided this week
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