Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa has warned that Ireland must not be scapegoated at a “watershed” moment following the No vote in the Lisbon referendum.
Speaking at a meeting of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament in Strasbourg last night, Mr Rossa said although the success of the No campaign “was a shock to all of us, it clearly reflects a deeper a malaise that is Europe-wide”.
“If we are to develop Europe further as a democratic entity, then the response to the Irish electorate's decision must be a democratic response.”
“We will not unify the European continent unless we address the fundamental concerns and uncertainties which the No in France, the Netherlands and now Ireland reflects,” the MEP said.
These uncertainties, he argued, are driven by “people's perception of powerlessness in the face of global trends which are impacting on job security, on our climate, on our living standards, and on our collective sense of belonging”.
He declared that the failure of the European constitution and Lisbon treaty to address those concerns for the majority of Irish people was the fault of politicians.
Mr De Rossa argued that for any proposals put forward by the Irish Government to have any meaning they must be based on Ireland's internal debate about what the No signifies. A choice needed to be made between being “a full partner” or being “semi-detached on the same basis as Norway,” the MEP stated.
“To choose between these options we need a calm and in-depth debate both in Ireland and in Europe. That debate must be a profound examination of the options we face, and it must be open, transparent and honest.”
“We cannot carry on as if nothing has happened. We have reached a watershed in our relationship with Europe, and this is the time to make up our minds once and for all,” Mr De Rossa said.
