‘There is no better deal’

Thursday’s referendum enables us to empower or stall Europe’s future, writes Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

THERE’S no doubt that this has been a difficult referendum campaign for members of the public who just want to hear a clear and honest debate about the issues at hand.

The European Union is a unique organisation in world history and because of this it can be hard to explain how it works — and it’s always easy to misrepresent it.

In the midst of the back and forth there are many things which are clear and the most important of these is that this Thursday’s vote will be a fundamental statement about the direction our country is taking.

The European Union is an organisation which was the greatest force for peace and prosperity in a conflict-dominated 20th century. Independent countries came together in the hope that working together rather than against each other was the only way forward.

For Ireland and the whole of Europe, the EU has delivered a new era of opportunity. It has enabled national sovereignty by giving even the smallest countries a voice in decisions which shape an ever more globalised time.

It does not spend its time trying to find ways to extend its power. In fact, the very reason we have treaties such as this is that the Union is careful to set strict limits to its actions.

The question for us now is do we want to play a part in reforming the European Union so that it can be as much a force for good in our future as it has been in our past.

I believe it is in Ireland’s vital national interest to ensure that the European Union is reformed so that it can meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.

This is not just a position held by the major political parties. It is shared by every national group of employers, the Irish congress of trades unions and by all farming organisations.

Sinn Féin, Libertas and Youth Defence have been trying to demonise the EU as being against our interests, in favour of militarisation and determined to undermine our economy.

In promoting these arguments they have directly and repeatedly misrepresented the treaty — even in the face of overwhelming evidence from independent bodies.

One example tells you a lot. They are claiming that our constitution will be rendered subject to EU law by this treaty. In fact, the wording they are invoking has been in our constitution since 1973.

This does not show a side which wants an honest debate.

Collectively, these groups have no common agenda but a consistent opposition to Ireland’s tradition of being positive to the EU.

Why is it vital that we ratify the Lisbon Treaty? Let me give three reasons.

The first is that Ireland needs to stay firmly in the European mainstream. There is no future for us as reluctant, conditional Europeans and as members of the EU’s awkward squad.

The reality of our economic situation is that almost two-thirds of our exports go to EU countries. Almost all the foreign companies which help sustain our prosperity are based here because we have access to the European single market of half a billion consumers.

At this time of economic uncertainty, it would make no sense for us to send a signal to international boardrooms that Ireland has become a lukewarm member of the European Union. The reality is that this is how a No vote will be interpreted internationally.

If we block the Lisbon Treaty, we are very likely to be on our own. This Treaty has the backing of 27 democratically elected governments. Already 15 countries have ratified it. In most cases, the Treaty was approved by huge parliamentary majorities with parties of the centre-right and centre-left uniting to give a green light to this treaty.

The second reason why we should ratify this treaty is that it will actually create a better Europe which can better serve Ireland’s interests.

This treaty will improve the way decisions are taken. This is essential in a union of 27 states.

The new voting system, based on states and population, is a fair arrangement which protects the interests of smaller countries like Ireland. The No side — and there’s really no other way of putting this — have been deliberately misleading people when they claim that Ireland’s voting weight will be halved by Lisbon. What they’re doing, in GAA terms, is trying to count points but ignore goals.

We have nothing to fear from majority voting which has worked to Ireland’s advantage over the years. Unanimous decisions will still be needed on sensitive issues like defence and tax. There is, quite simply, no doubt about this.

Does anyone think that the Irish firms paying our corporation tax would be calling for Yes vote if they thought there was a risk of it rising?

In terms of the European Commission, only by voting Yes will our automatic right to a commissioner be preserved until 2014 and we get an agreed system of full equality between all states. This system of equal representation for smaller and larger member states will not apply from next year under the existing terms of the treaty of Nice.

The third reason for voting Yes is to protect our future. The world is changing rapidly. New economic powers are rising. Energy is becoming a scarce and expensive resource. Climate change threatens our future well being. We need to tackle organised and international criminal activity together.

With a population of just over four million, we cannot hope on our own to shape the world around us. That is why we need a strong and effective EU.

A united Europe can help sustain our competitiveness and our prosperity. Under the Lisbon treaty, the EU will be better able to promote human rights, deal with humanitarian disasters and engage in peacekeeping operations such as the UN backed Chad mission where our soldiers are helping to protect vulnerable people.

This is already plan B — so Ireland going looking for a plan C would receive a very cold reception. If there is another negotiation in the coming years, an outcome as favourable to Ireland as the Lisbon Treaty is most unlikely. After all, we were leading the EU when the key details of this treaty were agreed. All of our key demands — on defence, taxation and equality between the member states — were fully respected. There is no better deal out there.

Over the past 35 years, Ireland’s deepening connections with Europe have paid rich dividends for us. We are far better off and more independent than we were in 1972. Our identity has been strengthened by European involvement.

On Thursday next, we can empower Europe to grapple with the many challenges of the 21st century. Alternatively, we can stall the Union and exasperate those who have stood by us when times were tough.

I believe in Ireland moving forward within the EU. A No vote would only take us in an uncertain direction. I urge all readers to vote Yes.