Madam, - Why are pro-lifers not convinced by the multitude of assurances being given on abortion rights in the Lisbon Treaty? We have been told it's in black and white, that it's copper-fastened, that it's cast in iron.
Well, here's the problem as pro-lifers see it. The protocol protects the Irish constitutional position - and that means under the X judgment, that abortion is legal where a mother claims to be suicidal. The only thing preventing abortion in Ireland is the wisdom and goodwill of the medical profession.
The scenario that pro-lifers fear after Lisbon is an activist European Court of Justice looking at freedom of movement, the right to work, a confused Irish constitutional position, a Charter of Fundamental Rights and an EU which has become a party to the European Convention on Human Rights. Into this legal quagmire you bring in a Dutch doctor who wants to perform abortions in Ireland and who is told that, while this is lawful, he cannot because the Irish doctors won't let him. Who can tell how the ECJ would rule?
And if that is not problematic enough, we have article 13 of the Charter which declares that "scientific research shall be free of constraint". Do people really support that?
- Yours, etc,
CHRISTOPHER McCAMLEY, Newtown, Drogheda, Co Louth.
Madam, - I am sick of hearing Irish voters saying they intend to vote No to the Lisbon treaty because they do not have enough information to vote Yes or because the information they have is too confusing.
If people do not have enough information or find the masses of information too complicated (which is perfectly understandable), then they are also not equipped to vote No. In fact, to vote No would be an abandonment of democratic responsibility.
The only responsible or logical course of action in these circumstances is to abstain, i.e. not to vote.
- Yours, etc,
RICHARD MORE O'FERRALL, Dublin 18.
Madam, - In recent weeks considerable media coverage has been provided to a small number of "high-profile" business people who are calling for a No vote against the Lisbon Treaty. They cite issues that are either irrelevant to the treaty (corporation tax) or matters on which they are not giving the full story (Ireland's voting strength under the treaty).
The entire Irish business community is calling for a Yes vote through the Business Alliance for Europe which represents 37 of Ireland's leading business and professional organisations. These organisations are responsible for 250,000 businesses and nearly 2 million jobs.
Irish business leaders with a proven track record of job creation in this country and overseas, such as Martin Naughton, Maurice Pratt, Brian Goggin and Paul Rellis, have all called for a Yes vote. The reason is straight forward.
A Yes to the Lisbon Treaty will lead to a more efficient and effective EU and that directly benefits Ireland. It will also:
1. provide stability and certainty to the Irish economy as it moves into a new phase of development;
2. copper-fasten our veto over EU tax proposals;
3. ensure Ireland remains a good place to do business and an attractive location for investment;
4. enable the continued development of the single market, opening up vast new opportunities to Irish businesses in the EU market of nearly 500 million people;
5. continue the positive impact of the EU on job creation in Ireland. Since Ireland joined the EU one million jobs have been created. (There are currently 2.1 millions jobs in Ireland.)
There are consequences to a rejection of the Lisbon Treaty. A No vote will lead to a loss of influence and goodwill towards Ireland among our EU partners. This will undermine our ability to ensure Ireland's goals in Europe are achieved. It will send a message to potential sources of investment that Ireland no longer wishes to position itself at the centre of Europe.
A Yes on June 12th is a yes to the opportunities and possibilities contained in the Lisbon Treaty. Ireland went from strength to strength after each previous referendum and that is the best guide to how the Lisbon Treaty will affect us in the years to come.
- Yours, etc,
MARY FRANCES McKENNA, Project Director, Irish Alliance for Europe, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2.
( Business Alliance for Europe members: Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec); Construction Industry Federation (CIF); Irish Banking Federation; American Chamber of Commerce; Small Firms Association (SFA); Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland; Irish Exporters Association (IEA;) Chambers Ireland; Cork Chamber of Commerce; Limerick Chamber of Commerce; Dublin Chamber of Commerce; Waterford Chamber of Commerce; South Dublin Chamber; North Dublin Chamber of Commerce; Wicklow & District Chamber; Irish Hotels Federation (IHF); Society of Irish Motor Industry (SIMI;) Retail Ireland; Financial Services Ireland; ICT Ireland; Galway City Business Association; Dublin City Business Association; Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC); Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers; Cork City Business Association; Telecoms and Internet Federation (TIF); Irish Software Association (ISA); Pharmachemical Ireland; Irish Hardware & Building Materials Association; Limerick City Business Association; Irish Dairy Industry Association (IDIA); Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA); Consumer Electronic Distributors Association (CEDA); Network Dublin; Fashion & Footwear Federation; Irish Franchise Association; Irish Medical Devices Association.)
Madam, - Thanks to Vincent Browne (Opinion, June 4th) for once again introducing a little perspective and common sense into a subject where the intention all along has been to create apathy and confusion. He hits the nail firmly on the head. If this unintelligible and impenetrable document is voted down by the Irish public, the sky won't fall in. We can expect a repeat of the breathtaking gall which occurred in 2002 when a second referendum was held after the populace exercised the democracy the Government are so fond of citing when defending their own actions, and rejected the Nice Treaty; or else the No vote will be allowed to stand and some other document will be drafted.
However, as Browne says, what incredible cynicism and arrogance is at play to make the majority parties all advocating a Yes vote think it is perfectly acceptable to, yet again, put before the voting populace a document which very few people at any level actually understand and which even EU Commissioner Charlie McCreevy frankly admitted he hadn't read himself! And, as usual, why are the populace willing to allow themselves to be treated in such a derisory and dismissive fashion?
- Yours, etc,
DAVID MARLBOROUGH, Kenilworth Park, Dublin 6w.
Madam, - Gratitude has not been a theme that has figured much in this debate. But never before in history has a grouping of countries (the central European Union countries) deliberately agreed to reduce the per capita GDP of their own citizens to improve the per capita GDP of a group of foreign countries.
The great beneficiaries of this process have been Greece, Portugal, to a certain extent Spain, and Ireland. The gratitude of these countries to the European Union should be profound.
The greatest beneficiary of all has been Ireland. A recent report in The Irish Timesput the figure for gifts made by European Union taxes to the Irish at €60 billion. Recently published statistics for per capita GDP in the European Union put Ireland second only to the super-rich Luxembourgers, and ahead of all the countries that contributed so generously to Ireland's prosperity.
EU documents are best regarded as something of a haggle. When you have 27 nations negotiating on the text it is hard to get agreement on anything.
Some years ago the excellent diplomatic and negotiating skills of the then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, brought it about that the European Constitution document was (i) accepted by the 25 member-states and (ii) contained nothing that was not in Ireland's interests.
If anyone has some difficulties with the Lisbon document they should put the blame on the shoulders of those who negotiated the text for Ireland, and not on the European Union.
The Irish have 60 billion reasons for showing their gratitude in the referendum.
- Yours, etc,
Dr D. KEEGAN, Killiney, Co Dublin.
Madam, - The Government doesn't want my No vote, but after last week's farce at the Mahon tribunal you can bet your bottom pound sterling that it is going to get it! And by the way, my No vote is definitely not a vote for Sinn Féin!
- Yours, etc,
JOHN REILLY, Maelduin, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath.
Madam, - If our politicians believe the Charter of Fundamental Rights attached to the Lisbon Treaty is such a prize they should, following a No to Lisbon and ahead of the second referendum that they will surely hold, secure an opt-out in relation to it (just like the UK and Poland have) and instead implement it under Irish law.
That way, rather than have the ECJ foist a legally binding, unforeseen and undesirable interpretation on us, we can have the Irish courts interpret it. At least we would have the power to remedy any unforeseen and undesirable interpretation from an Irish court. This would not be possible with an ECJ decision.
- Yours, etc,
MICHAEL MONAGHAN, Sallins, Co Kildare
Madam, - Congratulations to Frederick Forsythe (Opinion, June 5th) for eventually managing what many other No campaigners came close to do doing . . . writing an entire piece on the Lisbon Treaty without reference to a single article or provision in the document.
He somehow seems to believe that because the UK made a mess of its relationship with the EU we are somehow involved. Much of his article focuses on our 12.5 per cent corporation tax rate, but he fails to mention this has been agreed with the EU Commission and it has been confirmed by Commissioner Kovacs that nothing in the treaty will change it.
Mr Forsythe talks about decrees on taxation; can he point out where these are provided for in the treaty? I don't think he will be winning any prizes for his latest piece of fiction.
- Yours, etc,
MICHAEL McLOUGHLIN, Area Representative, The Labour Party, Dunboyne, Co Meath.