CORNELIUS O'LEARY,
Sir, - In the recent election the reaction of Irish politicians who opposed the ratification of the Nice Treaty to the accusation that they were wrecking the enlargement plans of the EU reminded me forcefully of a sermon I heard many years ago. The priest told the congregation that a young, newly-married man had complained that his wife was refusing to consummate the marriage. The priest asked the wife whether she understood the obligation of the married state, and she replied: "I thought we could have children some other way".
Likewise, the Greens and others replied to the accusation mentioned above: "The Nice Treaty may be defeated, but surely the EU can expand its membership some other way."
Emphatically, there is no other way. Like other international bodies, the European Union is bound by law, international and European. If the Irish electorate vote No in a second referendum, the Nice Treaty will fail, and the admission of the 13 countries of Eastern Europe will be frustrated.
Ireland has done well out of EU membership. When it joined in 1973, the average income per head was the lowest of the nine states. Now, it is well above the average.
Is Ireland to deny the same rights to poorer countries of Eastern Europe? In the sober words of Magdalena Majkowska (Letters, June 4th), "the final decision regarding 105 million people lies in the hands of 3.5 million Irish people." - Yours, etc.,
CORNELIUS O'LEARY,
Emeritus Professor
Queen's University,
Belfast 7.