Ireland backs God in EU constitution, says McAleese

PRESIDENT Mary McAleese said yesterday Ireland was open to an inclusion of God and Christianity in the European Union constitution.

Ms McAleese said Ireland would support a mention of God in the preamble to the 465-article constitution, which is expected to be finalised by mid-December at an EU leaders summit in Brussels.

“The Irish government has indicated that it would welcome such an inclusion if consensus can be reached on suitable language,” President McAleese told members of the European Parliament.

“A number of questions remain to be fully debated and finally resolved, including the issue of a reference to God.”

Her appeal came after visiting Pope John Paul at the Vatican two weeks ago, where the pontiff made a personal appeal asking her to push for the inclusion in the charter.

The pope said Ireland had an “essential role” to play in affirming its Christian identity in an enlarged European Union.

Ms McAleese said she hoped the new constitution would “inject a fresh excitement” into the EU, “transforming its unfortunate bureaucratic image, re-energising its relationship with European citizens, making them feel like insiders and not spectators”.

Ireland will aim to build bridges between Europe and the rest of the world during its six months at the helm of the EU, said President McAleese.

She got a standing ovation from the MEPs as she stood beside the President of the Parliament, Pat Cox, following her speech outlining Ireland’s programme during its six-month presidency.

“Ireland will bring to it the enthusiasm of very committed Europeans and the gratitude of a country which has manifestly benefited greatly from that commitment.”

She avoided any reference to the war on terrorism which has strained internal-EU and transatlantic relations, and instead built a picture of Ireland putting the EU ideals of promoting peace through cooperation, development and aid.

However, Ireland hopes to improve relations with the US and President McAleese said the power of our history makes us a specially effective bridge to the US, home of so many Irish emigrants.

Third world development was necessary to underpin international peace and security.

Europe contributes over half of all overseas development assistance and is the largest donor to Africa, to debt relief and to AIDS programmes. But the overall level of assistance from rich countries has dropped to an unacceptably low level, she said.

“The human misery caused by endemic poverty should shame us all but the instability engendered by it threatens us all. Poverty reduction rather than poverty management is fundamental to Europe’s future security strategy,” she said.

Ireland is in an ideal position to champion an end to the poverty, corruption, wasteful conflicts and post- colonial malaise denying so many people decent lives.