Libertas.org

A major campaign against the Lisbon Treaty referendum will be launched by Libertas in Dublin's Merrion Hotel this morning ahead of EU leaders' signing ceremony in the Portuguese capital. 

 

Libertas President and Founder Declan Ganley (left) with Libertas Executive Director Naoise Nunn  at Thursday's
launch of the Libertas 'No to Lisbon' campaign (photo Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)

Libertas is launching a billboard highlighting Article 48 of the Treaty, which will allow significant changes to be made to the way the EU is run, without the need for further referenda in Ireland or elsewhere. Libertas founder, Declan Ganley, this morning pledged that the organisation would fundraise extensively for the campaign and called on the Government to name the date for the forthcoming referendum on the Treaty as soon as possible.

Taoiseach “Signing a blank cheque”

"If this treaty is passed, there will be no need for the EU to ever again consult the Irish people on any changes they want to make to the way in which we are governed. Article 48 is a devious self-amending clause that allows the European political elite to avoid the necessity for further referenda.  This is profoundly undemocratic and signing this Treaty is like signing a blank cheque," said Ganley.

I firmly support the concept of the European Union and acknowledge both its great achievements in the past 50 years and its benefits to Ireland, but it is in need of radical reform. It needs to be made genuinely democratically accountable and transparent to its citizens. The so-called reforms in this repackaged constitution merely surrender even more national sovereignty in return for less accountability from a body that hasn't had its own accounts signed off on for 13 years in a row."

"Ireland – along with the other member states – is surrendering vetoes in more than 50 new areas including social security, energy, transport and even sport and culture; we will lose the guarantee of a commissioner for the first time; and we will lose the prospect of hosting the EU Presidency.  In return, the Treaty offers national parliaments a paltry additional two weeks to consider EU legislation, which, in most cases, is just nodded through. That's a bad deal in any business," said the Libertas founder.

Mr. Ganley highlighted the comments of Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, reported yesterday in El Pais, in which he said that there was an “unwritten agreement” amongst EU leaders not to have any further referenda on the EU, because Public Consultation was being used as “a political instrument against Europe.”

“These comments from the Spanish Foreign Minister make very clear that the people who are responsible for this Treaty are terrified of democratic accountability. When you compare them to a recent speech by French President Nicolas Sarkozy in which he said that if the people of Europe were given their say on this document, it would fail, it becomes very clear that there is an agenda amongst the Elite of Europe to force this Treaty through with as little consultation as possible, - and they’ve even included a clause which makes further consultation unnecessary.

I draw attention to this because the Government and other elements will try to create a narrative for this campaign that says that we will become, in the words of Charlie McCreevy, “the laughing stock of Europe”, if we vote no. The “Europe” that Charlie McCreevy is talking about is not the Europe of the 500million citizens who are being denied their chance to participate in any decision about this treaty. Rather it is the Europe of arrogant bureaucrats who treat democracy with contempt, - and it’s that Europe that will be the laughing stock of the half billion citizens of the continent when this treaty is rejected.

“This treaty is not only bad for Ireland, it is completely unnecessary. Minister of State Dick Roche told the Seanad yesterday that the EU needed “streamlining” because of the accession of new member states. In reality, since those new member States joined, the pace of legislation emanating from Brussels has increased by 25%, and not slowed at all.

I have already mentioned that there is a need to reform Europe, but this Treaty does not do it. In enshrines the problems that already exist. The Government will tell us that there is no other option on the Table if this Treaty is rejected, - that somehow our No vote will bring Europe grinding to a halt. That is not the case. It was not the case when the French and the Dutch rejected the original constitution, and it is not the case now”
 

Mr. Ganley said that Libertas was “ready to win” and that he himself had “immense faith in the common sense of the Irish people”. He said that Libertas would commit all available resources to winning the referendum campaign, and that he was certain that the result would be a resounding “No”.

“The Government will use every trick in the book to starve the “No” campaign of equal funding, but we’re pretty certain that we will be able to compete. Minister Roche announced yesterday that the Forum on Europe would be returning to tour Ireland during the Referendum, and we will be at every event. The Billboard we are launching today is only a sample of what is to come from us over the coming Months, as we seek to inform the electorate of the danger posed by this Treaty, and Article 48 in particular”.

Libertas is appealing to the general public to support its campaign, donate funds and join the debate on Europe and the Lisbon Treaty by clicking on www.libertas.org