Sir, – Whether or not the UK decides to remain in or to leave the EU is a matter for the UK to decide. A decision will be taken by British voters after much debate and careful consideration.
For the Taoiseach and the Government to involve themselves in the debate is to a degree understandable, but in the end interventions from Dublin, unless they are done privately in the corridors of Brussels or through the British cabinet office, will be more of a hindrance than a help. The British voters are not some strange Hydra-headed anomaly that some commentators in your pages seem to imply. The concerns of the ordinary British voter are reflected in every town in Ireland and in every country in the European Union. If these concerns are not addressed meaningfully, it will lead not only to a Brexit, but to the eventual break-up of the EU.
Many voters, though kindly disposed toward the EU, see a growing democratic deficit. They see a union that has been for some time a fantasy project propelled by a handful of unelected bureaucrats. Bureaucrats that seem divorced from the ideals of the founding fathers and indeed from the cultural integrity of the nation states of a great and vibrant continent.
For those of us who care about Europe and who hope that we are not going to witness in 2019 an implosion similar to that which happened to the Soviet Union in 1989, it is to be hoped that the UK will continue to remain a wise and independent voice within the EU. To help facilitate that, the Government here should be as supportive as possible and work very closely with the British government to achieve the reforms that will make any deal acceptable to the British electorate. Reforms once agreed will eventually be granted to the rest of the EU, and a reformed EU is what we will need if the European Union is to survive in anything like its present form over the next 10 turbulent years. – Yours, etc,
KEVIN RYAN,
Richmond,
England.
A chara, – I refer to the ESRI warnings and the Taoiseach’s visit to Britain next week, regarding the many possible adverse consequences for Ireland if the UK leaves the EU. I hope his mission will be successful, for all our sakes. He could mention in passing that the British government’s selfish decision to have the referendum could be seen by many as anti-Irish and anti-European. In the best interests of Ireland, Europe and Britain itself, let’s wish him well. – Is mise,
SÉAN O’CUINN,
An Charraig Dhubh,
Co Átha Cliath.