EU will not collapse if Ireland votes against treaty, says McDonald

EU INSTITUTIONS will not collapse if the Irish people vote against the Lisbon Treaty, Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald has said.

Speaking at a special meeting of the Dublin Regional Authority held to discuss the upcoming referendum on the treaty, Ms McDonald said the Irish would not become pariahs in Europe if the treaty was rejected.

However, Minister for European Affairs Dick Roche said Ireland is seen as a player in Europe and voting No would put that at risk. The Lisbon Treaty will be put to a referendum on June 12th. If ratified, it will alter the way the EU operates.

Dublin's four MEPS, Eoin Ryan (FF), Proinsias De Rossa (Lab), Gay Mitchell (Fine Gael) and Ms McDonald, voiced their views on the treaty, along with Mr Roche, answering questions from 20 councillors from the greater Dublin area.

Mr Roche said the EU was operating under structures put in place 50 years ago and needed to be upgraded to deal with future challenges. He accused Sinn Féin of "peddling myths" about the treaty and said it argued in 1972 that the EEC would force us into Nato.

Ms McDonald said the argument around the need for efficiency was "entirely bogus". She said there was a move to consolidate power at the centre of Europe in relation to foreign policy and defence policy.

Mr De Rossa said the treaty was one of the most socially progressive to date, which guaranteed a range of rights. Mr Mitchell said Europe would lose its place in the world if Ireland rejected the treaty.