Madam, - Brian O'Dwyer (November 27th) claims the Green Party has "little if any credibility on European affairs". While the credibility of all Irish political parties on European affairs has been seriously dented by the referendum on the Lisbon treaty, the Green Party seems an odd target to single out.
The Greens were the only Irish party to offer their wider membership a democratic input to the party's stance on Lisbon. While the Green Party convention failed to secure the necessary two-thirds majority to enable the party to support the treaty, more than 60 per cent of members present voted in favour of it. Thus, rather than being a "Damascus-like" conversion, the party leadership's stance reflects the will of a majority of party members.
The complacency of all political parties has had a major role in creating the growing distance between Irish citizens and the European Union. A lot of work will need to be done to re-engage the electorate. Mobilising party members and truly involving them in debates on European policy might not be a bad place to start. - Yours, etc,
Madam, - President Kaczynski of Poland, said earlier this year that "there is no treaty without Ireland". I say: "Tell that to the marines!" Apparently, after talks with France's President Sarkozy, the Polish president has changed his tune ( The Irish Times, November 22nd).
Sweden has now ratified the Lisbon Treaty to become the 23rd EU state to do so. It looks very likely that Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland will follow suit. If and when this happens, Ireland will be the odd man out. And make no mistake: Ireland will then come under enormous pressure to reconsider its position on ratifying the treaty.
Of course democracy must win. The bedrock of any democracy is true education - in this case, true education about the treaty and its consequences for Ireland. At the last referendum on the treaty people were left in doubt, confusion or lack of understanding about many of the issues. There seemed to be a lack of preparation.
If there is another referendum, let's hope this state of affairs will not repeat itself. - Yours, etc,
Madam, - Colum MacDonnell (November 26th), in criticising Robert Ballagh (November 24th), gets his sums wrong. The referendum proposed a change to the Constitution; 24.3 per cent of the electorate voted in favour of the change and 75.7 per cent did not.
Those who did not vote were clearly not pining for change. - Yours, etc,