GAVIN SHERIDAN,
Sir, - In his article in your edition of July 19th, Brian Cowen makes interesting if somewhat erroneous points about the Nice Treaty.
Mr Cowen seems to be under the impression that the Nice Treaty "does not fundamentally alter the nature of the European Union". I beg to differ.
In the Government's own White Paper on the issue a long list of substantial changes to the structure of the European Union are given. These changes are apparently fundamental to the enlargement of the EU; do they not also fundamentally change its nature?
More telling about Mr Cowen's article is his failure to mention the word "integration". Yes, our relationship with the EU has "matured", "deepened"; indeed it has "grown more complex". Strangely enough, the White Paper fails to once mention integration in its entire 82 pages. So even if Nice is about integration as a means to enlargement, it seems the government is not brave enough to say it.
The fact that we all have to go back to the polls a second time on the same issue seems lost on Mr Cowen. In relation to the first referendum he says that "we [the Government\] have heard the message loud and clear". But obviously Mr Cowen missed the result of the last referendum or, worse, heard it and decided to ignore it - a perfect example of European democracy in action.
Mr. Cowen concludes that we must all vote Yes to Nice 2 in order to be part of this "great European endeavour". I wonder what great European endeavour Mr Cowen has in mind. Perhaps a Europe where citizens are insultingly told how confused they are, or branded as whingers who cannot possibly know what they are talking about; a Europe that threatens us with dire consequences if we do not vote correctly.
If this is how the EU behaves now, I can only imagine how it will behave once more power is ceded to it through Nice and subsequent treaties. But it seems we must all follow the mantra of Government policy in relation to Europe in all its complex intricacies - in for a cent, in for a euro. - Yours, etc.,
GAVIN SHERIDAN, Mill Road, Midleton, Co Cork.
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Sir, - Sarah Carey's letter of July 18th, explaining her reasons for voting on the Nice Treaty, epitomises all that is wrong with the so-called "debate" on the issue. She seems quite happy to admit that first she voted No and now she will vote Yes to the treaty, for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do its content.
If the apparent confusion of much of the electorate regarding the Nice Treaty is to be addressed, we need a debate that focuses on its actual merits and demerits. - Yours, etc.,
PETER FITZGERALD, Postgraduate Centre, DCU, Dublin 9.