SENATOR Joe Lee has accused those involved in debating the future of Europe of having a highly condescending attitude towards those who do not move in European circles". The historian was speaking during a debate on the EU's relationship with its citizens.
He accused Europe's leaders of thinking that "the main job for the next few years is to so sedate the European citizen that they won't make a nuisance of themselves again".
The Danes, and to some extent the French and the Irish, had created such a "nuisance" in threatening the Maastricht Treaty lust time around. Such a mindset would not work this time, he said.
The problem now was that Europe would have to be built with citizen support and enthusiasm - otherwise it would not happen.
EU leaders now recognised that winning approval for changes in the Maastricht Treaty would be even more difficult than winning approval for the original, as the public was becoming ever more sceptical. Political leaders faced great problems in trying to mobilise public enthusiasm for Europe or other projects.
The central problem for those seeking to foster a common European identity was the decline of history in the national consciousness of European states, he said.
In addition, the social and political affairs programme proposed for schools now showed little sense of Euro consciousness, having just one minor reference to Europe throughout.
"For all our genuflections towards Europe, its incorporation into our education system is as yet very feeble."