DANA ROSEMARY
Sir, - Irish taxpayers' money will be used to fund EU research that will destroy the child-embryo at its earliest stages of life. The European Parliament has already voted to agree public funding of at least €300 million for this purpose. The Council of Ministers, on which our representative is Mr Noel Treacy, will meet within weeks to give its final, binding decision on the matter.
At a high-level meeting last week, Germany opposed the entire research budget of €17.5 billion, in protest at this unprecedented development at EU level. Austria and Italy supported Germany, but Ireland remained silent. Unless our Government joins with our EU neighbours of Germany, Austria and Italy in voicing opposition, this unethical and unconstitutional use of Irish taxpayers' public funds will proceed.
According to EU law, in the field of research, public funds cannot be used to fund whatever is illegal in one member-state. Now, however, even though destructive child-embryo research is illegal or unconstitutional in at least six member-states, the Commission has stated that in the interests of "pluralism", national legislation cannot oppose what the European Parliament and the Council jointly agree. In other words Europe has the final say.
This is an unprecedented move by the European Commission and it raises great concern for the future, as member-states could be forced to fund various programmes which are repugnant to their legal, constitutional or political positions. This interpretation and development must be borne in mind as we struggle with the democratic deficit in the EU and the suggestion of a "Nice 2" for the people of Ireland. - Yours, etc.,
DANA ROSEMARY SCALLON MEP,
Eglinton Street,
Galway.