Government ‘selling out’ right to veto EU rules

THE Government was last night accused of “selling out” on the Irish people’s constitutional right to veto any major changes in EU rules.

The Government is proposing an amendment to the Irish Constitution that would allow the Taoiseach to sign up to a wide range of changes to EU rules without a referendum, as is required under the present system.

Some opposition parties yesterday accused the Government of "selling out" on Irish sovereignty and said they would not support the people being by-passed on major decisions.

The Green Party said the Government's proposal would overthrow the vital 1987 Supreme Court Crotty judgment which ensured Irish people would have a say on the important issues of EU treaties and their effects on the Irish Constitution.

Green Party Foreign Affairs spokesman John Gormley said this attempt to bypass the people would be an affront to democracy.

"We will not agree to give the Government a carte blanche in relation to the options and discretions listed in this amendment," he said.

Sinn Féin said the Government wants to "sell out" on Irish sovereignty by getting rid of the people's national veto on most EU matters.

"The Government wants people to sign a blank cheque by making these amendments to the Constitution," Sinn Féin's European Affairs spokesman Aengus Ó Snódaigh said.

Among the issues that could be fast-tracked are:

A common foreign and security policy.

EU financing.

Social policy.

Environment policy and family law.

A European Public Prosecutor.

The proposed amendment would also allow Ireland to take part in a "permanent, structured co-operation on defence".

However, the constitutional ban on Ireland's participation in a common defence will be maintained and can only be changed by a referendum, a Government spokesman said. The EU would also not be able to interfere in domestic taxation.

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said their main concern is the proposal to allow major changes to EU policy without consulting the Irish people.

Mr Rabbitte said the Taoiseach had now agreed with him that each change would be examined on a case-by-case basis.

The Government spokesman said the current proposals are only draft amendments that are being discussed with Fine Gael and Labour.