Sir, - Peter Sutherland should take time off over Christmas to reflect on the real issues confronting the European Union. Doctrinaire speeches such as that delivered to the Institute of European Affairs (The Irish Times, December 11th) merely antagonise the electorate who value their democratic right to make up their own minds despite the grim forebodings of a former Commissioner.
The dominant issue for Europe is the relationship between the Union and its members. Despite Mr Sutherland's misgivings, member states do accept that they "have to share sovereignty in sensitive areas", but many reject the creeping centralisation at Brussels and the insatiable urges of the Commission to interfere in national affairs. Whatever happened to the Maastricht principle of subsidiarity?
Mr Sutherland is obviously worried about a crisis in the Union, but his bustling criticisms are misdirected. The real and urgent problem is to design a constitution which, in accordance with acceptable federal principles, will limit the powers of the Union and scrupulously respect the rights of individual member states.
We are getting far too much propaganda from hypnotised Europhiles. Let us have objective analysis for a change. Then we can look forward to the emergence of a vibrant Union. - Yours, etc.,
T. O'Connor, Churchtown, Dublin 14.