Madam, – It is good that Tony Brown (February 9th) again brings to light the activities of the Oireachtas Sub-Committee on Ireland’s Future in Europe when that group of TDs and Senators met in November 2008.
In the course of presenting its case to the sub-committee, Cóir asked a simple question: “Will you respect the Irish vote?” The committee refused to answer – confirming, in my view, that the very opposite was the purpose of the sub-committee, ie, that the vote of the Irish people would not be respected.
Cóir would have been remiss in its responsibility to the 862,000 people who voted No in last year’s referendum had it ignored what was afoot, participated in the charade, and failed to make clear what was then obvious.
Treachery was not mentioned (as is stated by Mr Brown), but treason was. And, as I have already stated, treason it is, the like of which has not been seen since the Act of Union. The will of the people was being overturned by their own elected representatives.
An accurate description of proceedings was given in The Irish Times only (report by Fiona Gartland, November 21st). With regard to legal guarantees, these cannot be given until the next (!) treaty, and no one knows what they will be. Mr Sarkozy acknowledges this. Unfortunately, there are too many “what ifs?” here.
Not the least of these arise from the elevated position of the Charter of Rights and the enhanced power of the European Court of Justice should Lisbon be passed in another referendum.
In the meantime, we have the EU “Catania” resolution supported by almost all Dáil parties, the doubts about the embryo case at the Supreme Court, and the proposed Civil Partnership Bill. All this, without looking under stones at other matters, does not fill us with confidence towards those who are asking us to say Yes to Lisbon. – Yours, etc,