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Thursday January 31, 2008 15:52
by MichaelY - Campaign Against the Lisbon Treaty / IAWM
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Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14At the opening session of the National Forum on Europe today in Dublin
Castle No campaigners accused the Forum of bias and using public money
to influence the outcome of the forthcoming referendum on the Lisbon
Treaty. Former Green MEP and leading No campaigner, Patricia McKenna
accused the Forum of abusing taxpayer's money to produce what she
described as biased documentation.
Ms. McKenna, who is a member of the Forum's Special Observer Pillar,
interrupted the Chairman, Maurice Hayes's press conference to object to
the Forum's planned publication of a “Summary Guide to the Lisbon
Treaty”, which she said was biased, and misleading.
McKenna said, “A group that consists predominately of those on the
Yes-side have drawn up this Guide. There has been absolutely no input,
with the exception of Sinn Fein, from those on the No-side and as a
result the document is flawed. “
She said, “This publication pre-empts the work of the Referendum
Commission, whose statutory job it is to tell citizens what the Lisbon
Treaty referendum is about.”
“While I recognise that the "Summary Guide” is a commendable effort by
the Forum Secretariat it is inevitably rather selective and consciously
or unconsciously leans towards facts and interpretations that are
favourable to the Yes-side. The only fair way of getting out a booklet
that would be fair to both Yes-side and No-side side, would be to get
reputable and expert Yes-side and No-side people together to agree a
common text, and where they disagree on facts or interpretation that
this should be indicated.”
“This is possible to do and has been done in Denmark for several EU
treaties, but it is not here.”
For example: The booklet makes no mention of the important fact that
under the Lisbon Treaty Ireland would lose its right to decide who
Ireland's Commissioner is, even when it comes to our time to have a
member on the Commission - 10 years our of every 15. Ireland's present
right to "propose" the name of the Irish Commissioner and insist on
having that proposal accepted if need be, being replaced by a right to
"suggest" - so that the new Commission President, who will be appointed
by majority vote of the Prime Ministers and Presidents, would
effectively decide who Ireland's Commissioner will be.
The booklet also fails to mention the fact that a UN mandate would not
be necessary for the dispatch of a EU military force and that the EU can
basically go to war without a mandate from the UN.
There is also no reference to the fact that the Lisbon Treaty obliges
Member States, including Ireland, "to progressively improve their
military capabilities".
McKenna said, “The People's Movement, the National Platform and others
will be producing a critical response to the Forum on Europe's "Summary
Guide" by the weekend and will e-mail it to the media. We appeal to the
media to withhold final judgement on this "Summary Guide” until they
receive this commentary shortly.”
Ms McKenna went on to say, “By its very nature the structure and
workings of the Forum are stacked in favour of those who support the
Lisbon Treaty. The Steering Committee, which ultimately runs the Forum,
is made up exclusively of representatives from each Oireachtas party.
Organizations representing the No-side of the debate, with the exception
of Sinn Fein, are excluded from the decision-making process.” The
No-side are sidelined into the Special Observer Pillar of the Forum and
excluded from decisions regarding publications, Forum Agendas and those
who are invited as speakers to the Forum.
She said that in the interests of balance and equality established by
the Supreme Court judgment in the McKenna case it was essential that for
the period running up to the referendum on the Lisbon Treaty the Forum
should operate in a different manner. It must take account of the
principles established in both the McKenna and Coughlan cases.
Huge amounts of public money are being spent on the Forum and its
essential that these funds are used in line with the law and Ireland's
Constitution.
The fact that the allocation of seats in the Forum is based on first
preference votes achieved in General Elections and that the Steering
Committee, which runs the Forum, is made up exclusively of Oireachtas
party members, means that political parties have undue influence on the
Forum.
Political parties are not even recognized in our Constitution and the
privileged position afforded them in the Forum is in marked contrast to
the decision of the Supreme Court ruling in the Coughlan case in so far
as its implications for political party involvement in referendums are
concerned.
The title calls it the CAEUC - the Campaign Against the EU Constitution, presumably, which has been around for a while, not doing very much.
But then the "Campaign Against the Lisbon Treaty" is mentioned. It's a bit funny that this group has been announced just before a meeting called on February 6th to get a broad based campaign going. Would they not wait to see if a more united campaign could be built, instead of going off on a solo run. A case of "getting your own front in front", maybe?
Strictly for your info good friend.
The (CAEUC) Campaign Against the Lisbon Treaty, that has been working diligently since last October, has, at the moment, the following affiliated organisations:
Sinn Fein, PANA, Peoples Movement, IAWM, Workers Party, Communist Party, People Before Profit, Socialist Workers Party.
Eirigi and the Socialist Party are in discussion with the campaign......don't think you can get any "broader" than that...can you? Ask the large number of non-Party activists who are working with us.....
There is absolutely no interest in "solo runs" and the watchword is
NO to the Lisbon Treaty from a progressive and left wing point of view. We can win this one.
Our Press Conference is in the Kildare Hotel next Monday (Feb 4th) at 11.00 and the Public/Launch Meeting on Thursday 7th 19.30 in the Central Hotel.
All the best btw to our comrades of the Socialist Party for their meeting on the 6th. A number of us will be there to support them.
I think there may have been a mistake with the poster above. The CAEUC isn't a front group, though i can understand the posters fear of these. The SP will be attending this meeting and encouraging others to do so to, to help build a broad, anti-privatisation, anti-neoliberal, left wing campaign against the treaty.
Following a Campaign Against the Lisbon Treaty meeting this morning, both the Socialist Party and Eirigi have formally affiliated to the CAEUC. We also hear that ISN are also considering affiliation
Public Meeting Poster
We've just heard that the Community Workers Action Group (CWAG, Crumlin) has just affiliated to the CAEUC and Councillor Joan Collins, representing the CWAG, Crumlin will be joining us in our Press Conference tomorrow Monday February 4th
Venue: Earl of Kildare Hotel, Kildare Street, 11.00 in the morning
Supporters and all media people welcome
Is this still going ahead?
Don, why should they confirm a meeting that hasn't been cancelled? Get a life.
A question - is it called the 'Campaign Against the Lisbon Treaty' or the 'Campaign Against an EU Constitution'? Obviously, it should be called the former but there seems to be some confusion about this.
Yes, the meeting is on tonight in the Central Hotel (Exchequer Street). 19.30.
The meeting that was cancelled was last night's in the Teachers Club - the Socialist Party has affiliated to the CAEUC and thought it wiser not to have two NO to Lisbon meetings with the same objectives back to back.
The official name of the Campaign right now is:
Campaign Against the EU Constitution - NO to the Lisbon Treaty - or CAEUC for short.
Don't chuckle anon, it is the price one pays if you try to work constructively within a very large broad front.
In practice, methinks, we will probably adopt the No to the Lisbon Treaty acronym very shortly. This is, of course, my strictly personal opinion.
"Don, why should they confirm a meeting that hasn't been cancelled? Get a life."
The one last night was cancelled, I dont want to turn up tonight and have wasted my time.
"Raquel Garrido (National Council of the French Socialist Party)"
Just hold on one minute. The French Socialist Party is the sister party of Labour. The Irish Labour Party supports the Treaty, as do all the Labour/SD parties in the EU. Why is this person even on a platform on the No campaign? The French SP have been in government in France and are a rotten right-wing pro-neo-liberal party. These people should not have any real say in this campaign. I have my doubts about this Campaign. Who invited the French right-winger? I have similar views about Patricia McKenna and her support for the FF/Green/PD government.
"Jimmy Kelly (Regional Organizer ATGWU - Unite)"
He's a member of the Socialist Workers' Party
"Patricia Mc Kenna (CAEUC and Peoples Movement)"
She's a member of the Green Party (currently in government with FF and PDs)
"Roger Cole (CAEUC and PANA)"
He's a member of the Labour Party (which supports the Treaty)
The meeting last night was excellent and the Irish Socialist Network has now formally affiliated.
I certainly learned a lot at the meeting that will be useful as I try to wade my way through the Lisbon Treaty. It's not an easy document to follow, but I guess that was the point. I suspect those that wrote it would prefer if we were put off from exploring the small print.
With regard to Cliona's remarks about members of the Green Party and Labour Party playing a role in the campaign, well, I'm not sure what her point is. If they campaign against the Treaty, then they are striking out independently of their respective parties...and that independence of mind should be applauded. But why, one might ask, do they remain in these parties when they dissent on such a fundamental issue? I don't know, but that's a personal political conundrum for themselves; it's hardly relevant to the campaign.
The meeting last night marked a good beginning to the 'No' campaign and speaker after speaker emphasised the need to approach the issues from a consciously left-wing perspective. Well done to the organisers and let's hope that more and more people get on board.
"Jimmy Kelly is a member of the Socialist Workers Party"
So what?
He stated clearly that he is a socialist and I'm not sure how a reference to his SWP membership would be of much interest to anybody. He was speaking as a leading activist in the union UNITE and not as an SWP member. Believe me, he made no attempt to sell the paper from the platform!