Green light for yes to Europe

A GREEN Party minister yesterday indicated he would become his party’s first senior representative to publicly back a yes vote in a referendum on Europe.

Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan said that he would likely vote yes when the country votes in a referendum for the new EU constitution next year.

While Mr Ryan stressed he was expressing a personal view, his sentiments nonetheless represented a major departure for the party.

Since the Maastricht Treaty in 1986, the Green Party has consistently voted against referenda that have proposed enlargement of the union and increases of its powers. The core of its arguments has been that such developments would erode and dilute Ireland’s neutrality and increase the union’s defence and military strengths.

But in recent years, the party has embarked on a drawn-out internal debate on Europe, with some pressing for a re-evaluation of its opposition to the constitution.

That debate is likely to come to a head in early October when the party is holding its convention. The Irish Examiner understands that the issue of the European constitution may be addressed with a view to arriving at an agreed position.

Mr Ryan, who addressed the Association of European Journalists, said that his party had frequently criticised “Brussels’ machinations”.

But he said that should not be confused with Euro-sceptimism.

“For all its flaws, the EU is the most successful example of international political and economic co-operation of our time. The voluntary pooling of our sovereignty has given all the member states strength.”

But the potential divisiveness of the debate was highlighted by former MEP Patricia McKenna who yesterday said that the Constitution envisaged a Europe that would become more and more militarised.