Dana: Nice Treaty will 'reduce Irish independence'

A full, open and honest debate is needed on the Nice Treaty, one of its opponents claimed today.

Independent Connacht-Ulster MEP Dana Rosemary Scallon accused Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy of blackmailing voters after he claimed another rejection of the treaty in a referendum would undermine the Government’s negotiating clout in Brussels.

With voters due to go to the polls for a second time to consider the treaty, which would expand the European Union, Dana claimed, if adopted, it would significantly reduce Irish sovereignty.

“The Treaty of Nice opens the way to a European Union constitution which, if adopted, as is the intention, will take precedence over our own Irish constitution.

“The treaty is not primarily about enlargement. It is about reducing our independence and sovereignty.”

Voters in June 2001 rejected the Nice Treaty by the narrowest of margins in an embarrassing defeat for Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s Government and the main political parties.

Tanaiste Mary Harney’s Progressive Democrats, the main Opposition party Fine Gael and the Labour Party supported the treaty.

Sinn Fein, along with Dana Rosemary Scallon and several left wing groups, opposed the Treaty.

Dana claimed today the people had spoken in a referendum last year and she rounded on the Government for failing to represent in Brussels the views of its people.

She said Mr McCreevy’s comments would only serve to “further alienate the electorate” and removed the focus and debate from the real questions of the Ireland’s independence and sovereignty.

“It is an affront to all democrats that threats are being used to overturn the democratic will of the people of Ireland who have already rejected Nice.

“Commissioner Basquin stated on July 8: ‘As any other government of a member state, the Government of Ireland has the right to bring forward its point of view and to defend it in the Council (of Ministers) within the framework of the decision making process for the adoption of community legislation.

In this context it can support or reject proposals. A view taken concerning one definite subject has no implications for decisions on other fields’.

“The Irish Government should, therefore, be defending the democratic decision of the Irish people when they rejected Nice on June 7 last year.”

The Connacht-Ulster MEP said the Republic had always been and would continue to be fully committed to the European Union.

But she added: “The core principle of democracy must be respected and upheld and the democratic will of citizens must not be overturned by coercion or threats.

“Saying No to Nice does not mean No to Europe.”