Bush to visit Ireland for EU summit next year

US President George W Bush is expected to come to Ireland next year, but the Government claimed yesterday the planned EU/US summit will pass without major disruption or demonstrations.

Mr Bush’s recent visit to England prompted an unprecedented security operation involving 14,000 police at a cost of almost 8 million as tens of thousands of anti-war and environmental protestors took to the streets.

As well as a celebration of EU enlargement to be attended by the member leaders, European Minister Dick Roche said there will be an EU/US Summit in Ireland as part of the EU presidency and that the Government was awaiting a date from Washington.

But even with security concerns surrounding both events, Mr Roche said the Government had a responsibility to fulfil its role as EU President and that the prospect of protests could not be allowed as an excuse not to hold important events.

“Even if we have some disruption here for a day and if we could actually move forward the agenda for peace in the world, wouldn’t it be worth seizing the day?” he asked.

While not being complacent about security, he proposed to bring the world to our doorstep and said no rational or right-minded person would have a reason to object to progress on important issues.

“The world can’t stand still because a couple of people have a reason to protest,” he said.

The leaders of all 25 member states have been invited to attend a ceremony on May 1.

The real party, however, will take place on the streets, Mr Roche said.

“We want to have the celebration out there on the streets. We want to have the people of Dublin, the people of Ireland, share the sense of history we will be creating in Europe. This should be a celebration for the people, not for the men in suits,” he said.

Mr Roche also said he and his colleagues would develop plans to connect the EU to the general public.

“There has been a growing gap, a sense of apathy and disconnection, and a lot of that is to do with jargon that people outside politics don’t understand and have no reason to know.

“Europe must speak to its citizens in plain, unadorned language so the people can see what Europe is all about,” he said.