MEP warns on battle groups plan

A Finnish Euro-sceptic Member of the European Parliament has called for a national debate on the effect of the proposed EU constitution on Irish neutrality.

Mr Esko Seppänen said the establishment of the EU battle groups had begun already, even though the constitution had not yet come into force.

Under the constitution, EU military operations would not need a UN mandate, he said. "The actions can be illegal from the point of view of international law."

Member-states would be committing themselves to increase their spending on armaments and military resources, Mr Seppänen said. "It is all about the militarisation of the union."

He was speaking at the National Forum on Europe, which opened its 2005 programme at Dublin Castle yesterday. This year's sessions will concentrate on the constitution, which Ireland must ratify by referendum before autumn, 2006.

Mr Seppänen warned Irish citizens that the flow of EU funds would soon dry up and this would be a shock as Ireland had always been net receivers, instead of net payers. "The cohesion funds have been very favourable to you. But it ends now," he said.

The Nordic countries were getting tired of paying so much to the EU "and getting nothing back and we are very doubtful if the European Union policy will change", he claimed.

He said the constitution gave the Commission the right to negotiate international trade agreements and this was taken to mean the privatisation of public services and the welfare state.

However, the British Labour MEP, Mr Richard Corbett, said the constitution was a vast and distinct improvement on what went before.

As chairman of the Parliament's Constitutional Affairs Committee, his report on the constitution was just approved by the European Parliament by a majority of 500 to 137.

Mr Corbett said the constitution would increase democracy and bring greater clarity, efficiency and accountability.

"Europe has upgraded from a mini-bus capable of taking 15 passengers to a full-sized bus capable of of taking 25 passengers and with some spare seats to pick up any new passengers along the way," he said.

Instead of having a number of treaties, the constitution would be one single document, Mr Corbett said.

He rejected Mr Seppänen's claims that it would create a European superstate, and said the motto of the constitution was "unity with diversity".

Mr Corbett said the quality of debate on EU affairs in this State was so much better informed than the British debate.

Fianna Fáil senator Mr Martin Mansergh said the EU had been "overwhelmingly benign" for Ireland and the rest of Europe and there was no reason to believe that it would suddenly become a malignant force.

Mr Roger Cole of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance said Ireland was not neutral when it was allowing the movement of US soldiers through Shannon Airport.