ANALYSIS/Labour Party European campaign: Labour was quick to take the opportunity to attack the Government, reports Mark Brennock
At one point, well into Labour's European campaign press conference yesterday, the party's MEP Mr Proinsias De Rossa pointed out that not one question from reporters present had been about European issues.
He had been asked about whether voters on doorsteps were asking candidates about European issues. He complained that the media was setting the agenda for the election campaign.
However, some ten minutes earlier, party leader Mr Pat Rabbitte had opened his speech by suggesting that the domestic focus was the correct one.
"It is a paradox of European election campaigns that the focus of attention tends to be on the implications of the results for domestic politics, rather than any impact the elected candidates might have in the European parliament. In the current climate of political opinion in Ireland, there is a certain inevitability and indeed justice about that," he said.
Mr Rabbitte continued with a denunciation of the Government, saying they were "as despised and distrusted as any Government in the history of the State. It is actually hard to meet someone on the campaign trail who cannot refer to a broken promise, a lie, or an act of callousness or incompetence that they attribute immediately to the present Cabinet".
As a result, he predicted, "the Government parties are going to get an even bigger hammering than any poll or expert is predicting."
So while all the parties are publishing manifestos outlining their approach to European issues, all are also acknowledging in their campaign strategies that Mr De Rossa's stated desire to see a campaign filled with debate on European issues is unlikely to happen.
Mr Rabbitte went on, however, to outline his party's views on Europe, which are outlined in greater detail in an 18-page manifesto. He said Labour had five key commitments: A prosperous and fair European economy with more and better jobs; bringing the EU closer to its citizens; a humane migration policy; building a more secure, just and peaceful world; and promoting Europe as an area of democracy and equality.
The party's manifesto calls for a European directive to provide for paid parental leave for men and women. A European directive "would compel the Government to stop paying lip service to family-friendly policies and actually deliver", said Mr Rabbitte.
The party emphasises in its manifesto the need to "preserve, strengthen and modernise" the European social model. While EU governments have concentrated in recent years on the need to bring about economic convergence, the parties of the left such as Labour emphasise the need to preserve social protection.
Labour says that right-wing governments in the EU only want to implement the economic reforms associated with the so-called Lisbon process on competitiveness while neglecting its social objectives.
The Lisbon process has a target of reaching a 70 per cent employment rate and a 60 per cent interim rate for women's participation in the workforce by 2010, and the party wants these met.
Labour also demands the reform of the Common Agricultural System to end the direct subsidy of agricultural payments (through payments to farmers) and instead to fund rural development and promote high quality and affordable food while protecting the environment, landscape and animal welfare.