Sir, - It is interesting to note the selective summary of the White Paper on the Treaty of Nice produced by the Government recently.
While we are told that Ireland's votes in the Council of Ministers will increase twofold from three to seven if the treaty is ratified, the summary does not refer to the huge increase in the voting weights of Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy (the Big Four). While we are told that these countries will have 29 votes apiece in the new Council, we are not told that this is almost a threefold increase from their current 10 votes each. We are therefore being asked to sanction a reduction in Ireland's and other smaller states' influence, and the creation of a two-tier Europe.
It's difficult to understand how the Government expects the electorate to make an informed choice in this referendum when it produces such selective information. - Yours, etc.,
Angela T. Grealy, Renvyle, Co Galway.