Military and economic sovereignty are not threatened by referendum

I HAVE followed the lively debate on the EU Reform Treaty in your letters page. As Government spokesperson on European affairs in the Seanad and a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs, I take a particular interest in the debate.

While I strongly support the adoption of the Lisbon treaty, my overriding concern is that we have an informed and reasoned debate on the matter.

With this in mind I have frequently addressed two flawed common arguments against the treaty — that it will diminish our traditional neutrality and that it will open our tax affairs to European interference. These are certainly two important issues – military neutrality is a defining feature of our country and our low rate of corporation tax is a key factor in our economic success of recent years.

However, there is absolutely no question of the treaty affecting either of these aspects of our sovereignty.

The triple-lock mechanism requiring Government, Dáil and UN approval before our defence forces undertake any military activities is in no way affected by the treaty and in fact the proposed amendment to our constitution allowing the ratification of the treaty is likely to include a provision that will copperfasten our military neutrality.

It is also important to note there is nothing in the treaty that will change the necessity of unanimity in decisions on taxation in the European Council, which effectively gives Ireland a veto and serves to protect national independence in deciding such matters as rates of corporation tax.

I endorse the comments of the Taoiseach at the recent Ógra Fianna Fáil conference to the effect that a ‘yes’ vote and the resulting direct mandate for continued European integration would strengthen Ireland’s hand in EU negotiations. Such observations from a senior European statesman with personal experience of intense EU negotiations at the highest level cannot be ignored.

Senator Terry Leyden

Leinster House

Kildare Street

Dublin 2