The Lisbon Treaty represents a good deal for Ireland and Europe, according to Gay Mitchell.
WHEN IRELAND joined the European Economic Community we joined a unique organisation, one that contained independent states willing to work together in friendship and mutual reliance for all its citizens. Twice in the 20th century Europe had been torn asunder by war, costing millions of lives.
At its heart the European Economic Community, now the European Union, had two aims: to prevent war and defend and promote democracy within its borders.
Sixty-three years of peace and democracy in a previously war-torn continent is a tribute to the union's success. Today, the only wars we see are verbal; at council meetings where leaders clash, before reaching an agreement on a difficult policy matter. All of us, from Estonia to Enniscrone, can be proud at what our union has achieved.
Now it is time for the next step, with the Lisbon Treaty. Some people have fears. That is understandable. But Fine Gael, having studied the treaty in detail, believes that it offers a road map to produce a more open, effective and efficient union for the 21st century, and should be supported.
Europe is a good news story, which is why I regret the actions of some in the Government and others in the No campaign, in resorting to negative campaigning and name-calling.
This is too important a decision to be reduced to pettiness and political hair-pulling. Let's have an informative campaign rather than one based on fear and exaggerated claims. I am supporting the Lisbon Treaty because I believe it represents a good deal for Ireland and for Europe.
Since the 1970s Europe has been engaging in a series of reforms: the Single European Act was about creating a single market. Maastricht was about creating a single currency. Nice was about adapting the EU to allow new members to join.
The Lisbon Treaty has two aims: to consolidate these changes, giving a 27 member union modern structures, and crucially, to enable the EU retain our influence in a changing world, so that we can deal more effectively with international issues such as climate change and cross-border crime. A more effective EU helps small states, such as Ireland, to have real influence in the way the big economic, political, environmental and social issues are dealt with. Without a strong efficient EU, issues would be left to the big nations such as the US and small states would have little if any influence.
The structural changes the treaty introduces are necessary. A commission of 27 members, with potential for even more, can be cumbersome. The new commission, on which each country will sit for 10 out of every 15 years (after 2014), is fair to everybody because it gives complete equality. (Before Nice big countries had two commissioners each.) Following enlargement, the European Parliament has 785 members; the Lisbon Treaty provides for a max of 751 - that's big enough for any legislature.
Critics have complained that Ireland loses votes in the European Council. With 27 members now in the EU, a restructuring of the voting arrangements in the council was overdue. A new, far more transparent, system, called double majority, has been introduced.
It still gives Ireland more influence than our population would entitle us to. Far from discriminating against smaller countries, the new system is the one the smaller countries pushed for and was Ireland's favoured position.
As for the "loss" of vetoes, in reality most vetoes were paper tigers never used by anyone. They were the political nuclear button, never pressed. Decisions are normally taken by consensus, but we retain vetoes in key areas such as taxation and defence.
As often happens, critics have focused on the reference to a mutual assistance clause in the treaty and misinterpreted this as meaning that Ireland is joining a military alliance. Ireland cannot join a common defence without a further specific referendum.
In reality, all the "mutual assistance" reference means is that if one state faces terrorist attack or natural disaster, the other countries will come to their aid; it will remain a decision for each state how to do so.
It would be a very strange community indeed if, should one member face a disaster, the others would not come to its aid.
In the mid-1970s an office of "President of the European Council" (in effect chairman of meetings of heads of government) was created. (The first president was Ireland's Liam Cosgrave.) With 27 countries, the old system of rotating the post every six months has become inefficient. So the post is being made full-time for 2½ years, renewable once, ie a maximum of five years' total service.
Contrary to some claims we are not creating a President of Europe. It is simply a chairman or chairwoman of the council.
At present three different people conduct international relations for the EU; in future there will be one. Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs will continue to conduct our foreign policy.
One of the most positive aspects of the new treaty is the new democratic provisions. For the first time ever citizens can organise to petition the EU to propose new ideas. The Dáil and Seanad will be better informed on EU proposals and will, along with other national parliaments, be able to cause proposals to be reconsidered if they think it appropriate.
The European Parliament will have a greater say through more powers of decision made jointly with the Council of Ministers.
A protocol incorporates and accentuates the Charter of Fundamental Rights, which guarantees rights to every person resident in the union when dealing with its institutions and in member states when dealing with EU matters. Climate change is put firmly on the agenda by becoming an area where the EU can act, for the benefit of us all.
Over the next 20 years developing countries such as China, India and Brazil will experience rapid economic growth according to World Bank forecasts.
The Lisbon Treaty will prepare our union for the challenges we will face in the 21st century. If the first 50 years of what is now the EU were spent building a community of nations, the next 50 will be spent helping the EU work effectively in the interests of its states and its peoples as it faces a complex and competitive new world.
Gay Mitchell is a Fine Gael member of the European Parliament for Dublin and the party's director of elections for the Lisbon Treaty referendum campaign in the capital.