Madam, - Michael Parsons (Opinion Analysis, July 7th) argues that abolishing the European Parliament "would be a good start in rebuilding faith in the EU".
He seems to base his case on the fact that it is a parliament with several different political parties with different beliefs and that staffing and administering the European Parliament costs €1.32 billion annually.
To the first point I would argue that in order for representative democracy to operate a parliament requires a diversity of opinion traditionally embodied in the multiparty systems typical of most functioning democracies. Surely Michael Parsons is not arguing for a one-party system.
To the argument of cost I would say it is a small price to pay for a functioning democracy, and is negligible considering that the nominal GDP of the EU 27 is over €11 trillion. The Dublin City Council budget for 2008 provides for pay costs of €462m. By comparison, €1.32 billion for nearly 500 million people looks good value.
Trying to debate EU legislation in 27 separate national parliaments is not a solution as it would not account properly for the cross-border nature of legislation originating from the European Commission.
The European Parliament is the only directly elected institution in the European Union. I fail to see how abolishing it, thereby removing power from the people of Europe, will help rebuild faith in the EU. - Yours, etc,
PETER BYRNE,
Weston Road,
Dublin 14.
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Madam, - An article in your edition of July 7th proposes that the European Parliament should be closed. As a member of that institution, I heartily concur.
The parliament does little but allow MEPs to grandstand and posture without a second thought about the consequences of their actions.
For example, they have recently taken the Commission's proposal to ban a wide range of common pesticides and made it even tougher. They are basking in their rhetoric about consumer protection. But at a time of food shortages and rising prices, they will achieve massive reductions in crop yields, and do dreadful damage to farmers. And they will move food production offshore, to jurisdictions with lower standards.
We will lose our home-grown food, and end up with imported food and higher pesticide residues. As someone once said, "Power without responsibility is the prerogative of the whore down the ages". Look no further than Brussels to see it in action. - Yours, etc,
ROGER HELMER MEP
(Conservative, East Midlands),
Hon Chairman,
The Freedom Association,
Blisworth, Northamptonshire,
England.