Committee: Second treaty vote the answer to impasse

A CROSS-PARTY Oireachtas committee established to examine the impasse caused by Ireland’s rejection of the Lisbon treaty has indicated that a second referendum is inevitable.

After six weeks of hearings and testimony from 110 people from more than 40 organisations, the sub-committee on Ireland’s future in the European Union produced its report yesterday.

Although the committee insisted that recommending a solution to the impasse was not within its orders of reference, the report clearly suggested that a referendum was, in fact, the best answer.

The committee said there were several options available to Ireland following the Lisbon rejection, but most of these options — such as renegotiating the treaty or leaving the EU — were unfeasible or, in the latter case, “unthinkable”.

In contrast, rerunning the referendum posed no significant problems, the committee found.

“No legal obstacle appears to exist to having a second referendum. If a decision was made to hold another referendum, it would be expected that the Government would respond to concerns expressed during the referendum campaign.”

The two members of the committee which did not support Lisbon — Senator Pearse Doherty of Sinn Féin and Independent senator Ronan Mullen — unsurprisingly disagreed with the report.

Senator Mullen said “I want to be a yes voter. “[But] we’re in a new situation now where we’ve moved from talking about economics and market issues to areas where the EU seeks a fundamental rights competence — and that has the potential to impact in ways that we cannot honestly foresee on certain aspects of national life.

“My proposal to the committee, and my proposal to the public, is not to determine the precise decisions to be taken on some of these sensitive social and ethical issues, but to ensure that Ireland has the final say.”

No vote legacy - Committee findings:

* Ireland’s standing in the EU has diminished.

* Ireland has a finite amount of negotiating power in the EU. Much of our capacity to build alliances will be expended in seeking agreement on alternative ways forward.

* It is likely a mechanism will be found by other states allowing them to proceed with reform as envisaged in the treaty without Ireland. This would have a devastating effect on the Irish economy.

* Exclusion of Ireland from the European mainstream could effect the ability of Irish banks to raise funds.

* Uncertainty arising from Ireland’s non-ratification may be exploited by other countries competing for foreign investment.