Preparing for European treaty vote

Sir, – It was Lord Acton, Regius Professor of Modern History at Cambridge in 1895 (and one-time MP for Carlow), who gave us …

Sir, – It was Lord Acton, Regius Professor of Modern History at Cambridge in 1895 (and one-time MP for Carlow), who gave us the remark “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.

However, in this austere era, where private gambling debts of financiers have been duplicitously converted to public debt at enormous social cost, another of Acton’s remarks warrants recall: “The issue which has swept down the centuries and which will have to be fought sooner or later is the people versus the banks”.

I put it to you that the time for this fight has now come. Let one of its opening salvos be a massive No vote. – Yours, etc,

Dr DAVID HONAN,

Newbawn, Co Wexford.

A chara, – The word austerity is being used by many on the No side to describe this treaty because it tries to prevent countries spending more money they are raising in taxes.

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Are any of these organisations advocating a No vote spending much more money on their campaigns than they have managed to fundraise?  I doubt it.  And if not, why are they – in their own lexicon – engaging in “austerity” while advocating the rest of us ignore the importance of balancing the books? – Is mise,

ALEX STAVELEY,

Turvey Walk,

Donabate, Co Dublin.

A chara, –   Is it not too late to shut the stability door now that the hausterity has bolted? –   Is mise,

LOMAN O LOINGSIGH,

Ellensborough Drive,

Kiltipper Road,

Dublin 24.

A chara, – It may be that it just never occurred to them, but it is not too late for Government ministers to salvage their reputations. They imply that they never agreed with socialising private debt – and that circumstances imposed upon them the thankless task of shovelling money into the accounts of private investors.

Ministers could include on the day of the forthcoming referendum a proposed insertion in the Constitution making it a criminal act to use public money to bail out banks. – Is mise,

JACK GANNON,

Ratoath Estate,

Cabra, Dublin 7.

A chara, – I note An Taoiseach has balked at the offer of a debate with the No advocates on TV3 with Vincent Browne. I note he has also balked at the same offer with Ursula Halligan as convenor. He has also balked at the offer from RTÉ, balked at the offer from Newstalk, balked at the offer from Today FM and balked at all other offers.

Balk balk balk. Where have I heard that noise before? – Is mise,

FERGAL O’REILLY,

Haverty Road,

Marino, Dublin 3.

Sir, – I am amazed that the No campaign persists with the myth that rejecting the stability treaty would result in less austerity, when the opposite is clearly the case. Access to the permanent bailout fund, the ESM, is vital for Ireland, bearing in mind that over €60 billion of existing government debt has to be replaced by new debt from 2014 to 2020, and that substantial additional debt will be incurred under Ireland’s existing programme.

Irrespective of the progress in Ireland during the current bailout programme, we may need another bailout if there are problems in other euro countries at the end of 2013. If the euro is stable at that time it is probable that we can resume borrowing from the market, but the security of the ESM will provide a vital guarantee. If we have not agreed to abide by the new rules for a stable euro, we can hardly expect the other euro countries to rescue us again.

The No side’s claim that Ireland could borrow from the IMF instead of the ESM is an infantile argument. Ireland has already received much more than our normal quota of funding from the IMF. Also, the IMF is a global body with global responsibility, and many of its members which are much poorer than us would resent further support to a relatively prosperous Ireland, having turned our back on EU funding.

The unavoidable truth is: less funding for Ireland means more austerity. I am sick and tired of the fairytale economics and isolationism of the No campaign leaders. They are displaying very poor knowledge of the EU and there is no record that any of them ever negotiated more than a bottle of wine in Europe. – Yours, etc,

CON LUCEY,

Ballyroan Road,

Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.

Sir, – It is puzzling how the current Minister for Finance and a former Minister for Industry and Commerce of a country whose very life blood depends on supplying international markets can make derisive comments about the importance of Greece, and the economic impact of a hypothetical Greek departure from the euro zone. His wit may have impressed the audience at a business conference in Ireland but does the Minister think this will help Irish exporters trying to maintain their business with Greece?

Our Taoiseach’s recent Athlone comments are of a similar genre.

I wonder if there has been a recent outbreak of some foot in mouth variant resulting in gratuitous insults to fellow EU citizens in Greece, to unemployed men in Athlone and to anybody who challenges the current dismal management of our economy.

Can those special highly paid Government advisers or perhaps re-hired vets, not prevent such outbreaks which are as baffling as they are destructive? – Yours, etc,

COLUM MACDONNELL,

Gowrie Park,

Glenageary, Co Dublin.

Sir, – As the leading party in the No campaign, Sinn Féin has a duty to its followers to act responsibly on their behalf. It has singularly failed to do so.

By holding firm to a narrow interpretation of the rules governing a future bailout, should we need it, Sinn Féin is short-changing those who have put their trust in its judgment.

Because European and global politics is about more than just a set of binding rules related to ongoing agreements, the question of how governments behave, or are seen to behave, is vitally important.

It is bad enough that we are currently viewed as the “referendum capital” of the euro zone, but for voters to say No to an agreement that is basically designed to ensure fair play among all of the member states, would be a clear signal that we can no longer be trusted to act responsibly.

Sinn Féin has, up to now, prospered on the perceived notion that it has cut all ties to paramilitary activity. Its leaders should know better than anyone that, in politics, perception is everything. In that regard, Sinn Féin continues to flounder on a steep learning curve. – Yours, etc,

NIALL GINTY,

The Demesne,

Killester Dublin 5.

Sir, – As a Fine Gael supporter of many years, it is sad to witness the inability of the Government, with all its resources, to rationally explain the illusive if doubtful benefits of the fiscal/austerity treaty in plain English or in Irish. Unfortunately, this failure is perceived as a further reflection of its growing alienation, arrogance and incompetence.

It has failed to assuage real fears that the current policy of another four to six years of pinging austerity will result in permanent recession, entrenched emigration and ultimately the destruction of the fabric of Irish society.

Regrettably, resorting to increasingly crude jackboot and scaremongering tactics is no substitute for persuasive and truthful dialogue.

It is significant that the Government has failed to realise that the increasing opposition to the treaty, as well as to the household and water charges, is but a symptom of a much deeper national malaise. In reality, the protests represent a nationwide non-violent revolt against the failure to spread the austerity load in an equal and fair manner.

People’s perception of inequality is gauged by the protection of a huge swathe of Irish society, the so-called elite, from having even the slightest discomfort inflicted on it as a result of our present economic travails. These include current and retired politicians of all hues, senior civil and public servants, semi-State employees, advisers, bankers, developers and the insider professions.

One year ago, we foolishly expected that the new government of Fine Gael and Labour, with massive political and moral authority, would seriously curb the grotesque and unsustainable salaries, expense regimes, golden handshakes and pensions, all paid for with borrowed money by a bankrupt State, especially as many of the recipients were complicit in and responsible for our economic downfall.

In a bankrupted State, so- called contractual difficulties with these payments should and could have been addressed, given the political will, in emergency legislation by postponement or permanent reduction.

It is equally sad to say as a supporter, that Government members’ greatest mistake is that they failed to give leadership and to bring the people with them through the current crises. They are now perceived as clones of Fianna Fáil, indistinguishable in terms of policy, cronyism, arrogance and ineptitude, and worse, puppets of Europe, all of which may well lead to the rejection of the treaty and ultimately the Government’s demise.

The coalition has spectacularly funked the opportunity to ensure parity and equality of pain across all sections of society and will rightly rue the consequences. – Yours, etc,

JOHN LEAHY,

Wilton Road, Cork.

Sir, – I have a question for the Fine Gael party and Enda Kenny: If Fianna Fáil were in power and Micheál Martin as taoiseach refused a one-on-one debate on this important referendum, what would they say? – Yours, etc,

PATRICK J O’DOHERTY,

Drumully, Emyvale,

Co Monaghan.

Sir, – What would happen if nobody voted? Just doing my bit to add to the confusion. – Yours, etc,

DAVID JOHNSTONE,

Burnaby Park,

Greystones, Co Wicklow.

Sir, – Now that we have clarification that the treaty will not be changed, presumably Deputy Shane Ross will be able to get off the fence and declare whether he’s a Yes or a No. The nation is holding its breath. – Yours, etc,

PETER MOLLOY,

Haddington Park,

Glenageary, Co Dublin.

Sir, – A new financial institution, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), is to be set up under a treaty complementary to the fiscal treaty.

The treaty states that the ESM “shall enjoy immunity from every form of judicial process”. Why? Is it to be infallible? Has the Pope been informed? – Yours, etc,

Dr JOHN DOHERTY,

Cnoc an Stollaire,

Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal.

Sir, – Not for the first time have you published a letter from someone trying to reduce a serious debate to a clever soundbite. The letter from Beairtle O’Conghaile is one such (May 21st). It is not enough to print a selective list of the opponents of this treaty and then sign off with a smug “I have just made up my mind and will be voting Yes”.

An issue as serious as this needs reflection and a vote should not be cast on that basis. – Yours, etc,

BRENDAN MCMAHON,

Elmwood, Naas, Co Kildare.