Madam, - If the UK had voted No to the Lisbon Treaty in a referendum, would President Nicolas Sarkozy have invited himself to London or demanded a second referendum? Or to Berlin if the Germans had voted similarly?
When France voted No to the European Constitution, did the Irish Government move to isolate the problem to France, demand another referendum, or launch a diplomatic incursion to teach the French about their errors? As we know, states such as Britain, Germany and France would not countenance external interference in their internal constitutional matters. So why then has French citizen Sarkozy invited himself to Ireland and effectively declared a second constitutional referendum on matters of Irish sovereignty?
Despite being an admirer of France, I am aghast at this attempt by the head of a sister republic to influence the internal affairs of this republic. This is not what constitutes a Europe of equals.
Should another referendum be held and the Lisbon Treaty be passed for any reason other than its merits, the consequences in this country are likely to be a serious and lingering disaffection with the European Union itself. - Is mise,
PROINSIAS MAC FHEARGHUSA, An Uaimh, Contae na Mí.
Madam, - President Sarkozy is reported to have stated at a meeting in his office on Tuesday that "the Irish will have to vote again" on the Lisbon Treaty.
Coming almost on the eve of his visit to Ireland on July 21st, his reported remarks are most unhelpful.
Last week the French Ambassador addressed the EU Affairs Committee and stated that the purpose of President Sarkozy's visit was to "listen, analyse and debate" the issues with his Irish hosts.
If President Sarkozy's mind is already made up there is little purpose in his visit and any discussions he may have with his Irish hosts will be a sham.
At their meeting in June after the Lisbon Treaty referendum, the EU heads of state agreed there would be space and time for reflection; that the Irish Government would come to the next meeting in October in Brussels with proposals for a way forward; and that all the EU member-states would co-operate in that process at that time.
It is unthinkable that Ireland should be compelled to conduct a re-run of the Lisbon Treaty after such a strong electoral turnout in the recent referendum and the fairly significant No vote.
President Sarkozy would be well advised to reflect on the French experience in 2005, when the French electorate rejected the Constitutional Treaty and were not compelled to undertake a second referendum.
He is welcome to visit Ireland, but he should come to help, not to hinder. - Yours, etc,
JOE COSTELLO TD, Labour Party Spokesperson on European Affairs, Dáil Éireann, Dublin 2.
Madam, The French president is again suggesting that the Irish should be afforded a second ballot on the Lisbon Treaty. This is a very generous gesture, given that so many other EU nations in the EU weren't offered one opportunity to vote on it.
Perhaps this is all simply a salutary lesson that democracy doesn't always work. We elected politicians, the vast majority of whom recommended the electorate to vote for the Lisbon Treaty on foot of their positive interpretation of it for the benefit of the country. They evidently failed to "sell" it, which might imply they failed in their brief as elected politicians.
This - and the reality that the vast majority of the electorate cannot remotely be expected to understand the legal niceties and interpretations of such a document - would suggest referendums on such issues are undermining the brief of governments of the day. Either governments are elected to act on our behalf and make decisions on our behalf, or they are not. - Yours, etc,
PETER DOYLE, Beechwood Lawn, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.
Madam, - Fine Gael welcomes the decision of President Sarkozy to visit Ireland next Monday. He has intimated that he will come and listen and we welcome that. However, it is important that he expresses his unfettered views and that we also listen. It is a poor democracy that advocates free speech only in the context of what it wants to hear.
So let us speak freely and respect and tolerate the views of all. To tiptoe on eggshells will serve no purpose. - Yours, etc,
BILLY TIMMINS TD, Fine Gael Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Dáil Éireann, Dublin 2.
Madam, - If we are to have another referendum, as President Sarkozy would like us to do, I suggest we have a complete change of wording. Let us just be asked to vote on whether or not we would like to support the Lisbon Treaty and remain in the EU, with no reference to changes to our Constitution. I believe this would be carried with a large Yes vote.
If there appears in future years to be a clash between the Constitution on a particular proposed new EU law, is it not time enough then for the people to decide if they wish to make the required constitutional change? - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL TAYLOR, Errislannan, Clifden, Co Galway.