'Jobs and Irish control of policy' key issues

JOB CREATION, the retention of control over important policy decisions and an Irish presence on the European Commission will be among the issues driving a pro-Lisbon Treaty campaign by the newly-formed group We Belong.

Its campaign was launched in Dublin yesterday at an event attended by former Irish soccer international Packie Bonner and businessman Bill Cullen.

Calling itself as a “modern and engaging organisation for Lisbon”, the group said it would use the 10 weeks until the referendum on October 2nd to reach as many people as possible through traditional media, social networking sites and word of mouth.

Director Olivia Buckley said one of its driving forces was “a group of young Irish people who are amongst the thousands of new unemployed in Ireland hoping for a job and a future in this country”.

“Their future and the future direction of this country is what we must all weigh up over the next 10 weeks.”

Ms Buckley said the organisation would focus on the “key issues” that Irish people had raised in recent months, including job creation and the economy, Ireland’s “ability to retain control over decisions here at home”, an Irish seat on the European Commission and the importance of influence in Europe.

“The campaign is aimed at what we would call ordinary Irish voters who want fair and reasonable reasons to support Lisbon,” she remarked. “We know as a country we’re very pro-Europe. I think we know as a country we have a huge degree of confidence in ourselves. Because there was some confusion the last time, I think people just want to get it clear in their heads what this is about.”

Asked whether the formation of new non-party groups advocating a Yes vote indicated how poorly pro-Lisbon politicians had performed last time, Ms Buckley said the feedback the organisation had received was that “the ordinary voter wants to hear from other ordinary Irish people”.

“People get a lot of their information from their peers, from their friends, their colleagues and from figures in everyday Irish life that they listen to and respect and trust – like Packie Bonner and Bill Cullen. If that helps the campaign, then that’s great.”

Among supporters listed on the group’s literature are Dublin football manager Pat Gilroy, the singer Eimear Quinn, former rugby player Mick Galwey and musicians Frankie Gavin and Sharon Corr.

We Belong does not publish information on its donors. However, Ms Buckley said it sought and welcomed funding from “across the spectrum”.

Endorsing its campaign, Packie Bonner said much of the confusion before the last referendum had been addressed. “I think most of us didn’t understand it . . . I have read a lot of documentation, I have listened to people, and I think a lot of those doubts and confusion have been addressed well.

“Jobs is a big, big issue in this country now, and I just think if we’re not there, we’re a marginalised country and the only way we can be in there fighting our corner is being right in the middle of it, in totality – not a bit here and a bit there, but in totality. That’s my own layman’s opinion on it.”