KATHLEEN MAHER,
Sir, - It is difficult to be sure from Patricia McKenna's letter of June 8th whether, despite her seven years as a Member of the European Parliament, she really doesn't know what the EU and its planned enlargement are about or whether she is being disingenuous.
Whether or not Ireland may expect to pay a price for rejecting the treaty is not a matter of bullying or scaremongering but of normal human reaction. The reality is that a second rejection of the Nice Treaty - which all governments of the EU and the candidate countries consider a political prerequisite for enlargement - will almost certainly cause political upset all around Europe and, as an absolute minimum, delay the enlargement process, thus keeping the candidate countries even longer in the "waiting room".
In this connection, perhaps Ms McKenna might note the remarks made in Dublin recently by the President of Latvia (Irish Times, June 3rd) including, in particular, her statement that her people "viewed the rejection of the Nice Treaty with alarm; after all, it is our future at stake!" If Ireland loses, not just politically but also economically, as a result of another No vote, it will be because of an own goal!
In raising the European Commission's recent submission to the Convention on the Future of Europe, Ms McKenna displays a lack of understanding of the Commission's proposals and the "Community method" of decision-making, which requires that proposals be made by an independent Commission and involves her own European Parliament, alongside the Council of Ministers, in making the final decisions. The alternative to the "Community method" is action subject to agreement between national governments.
As an Irish MEP, Ms McKenna should appreciate, more than most, the advantages of the "Community method" of decision-making. - Yours, etc.,
KATHLEEN MAHER,
Clonmel,
Co Tipperary.