THE IRISH public has a profound lack of knowledge of what is being discussed at the European Union's Inter-Governmental Conference, according to the results of an Irish Times/MRBI opinion poll published today.
The Inter-Governmental Conference (IGC), which has been meeting since last March, is discussing amendments to the EU treaties intended to simplify EU decision-making, reform EU institutions and make the Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy more coherent and effective.
It is due to be concluded at the Amsterdam summit next June.
Presented with four topics and asked whether they were being discussed at the IGC, clear majorities in each case said they did not know. Of those who thought they did know, a large majority was wrong on two of the four questions.
Just 4 per cent gave the correct no answer when asked whether the IGC was discussing a date for European Monetary Union. Forty-three per cent said it was, while 53 per cent said they did not know.
The date for EMU was in fact set in the Maastricht Treaty of 1991. This weekend's summit, not the IGC, is attempting to agree budgetary and fiscal details of how EMU would work.
Only 12 per cent gave the correct no answer to whether the IGC was discussing a trade deal with the US; 22 per cent said it was, while 66 per cent said they did not know.
Asked whether the IGC was discussing reform of the EU's institutions, 24 per cent correctly stated that it was, 7 per cent said it was not while 69 per cent did not know. Twenty-nine per cent got it right in saying that the IGC was discussing the Maastricht provisions on common foreign and security policies; 7 per cent said it was not; and 64 per cent said they did not know.
With referendums to ratify the outcome of the IGC required in several member-states, including Ireland, this lack of public knowledge will add to concerns that the treaty changes may not be approved by voters.
Under existing EU treaties, if the amendments are rejected in just one member-state they cannot come into force.
Those polled showed a large measure of national self-interest when asked whether they favoured the enlargement of the EU to include a number of countries in central and eastern Europe. Asked simply if they were in favour of such enlargement, 48 per cent said they were while 33 per cent said they were no\, and 19 per cent expressed no opinion.
When the 48 per cent in favour were probed further, however, 39 per cent of them said they would not support enlargement if this meant that Ireland would get less in EU funds. Fifty-nine per cent of them said they would still favour enlargement while 2 per cent had no opinion.
This means that 52 per cent actually oppose enlargement when it is suggested that Ireland could lose money as a result. Twenty-eight, per cent would still favour it in these circumstances.
