Fears of military role in EU are unfounded

IN her letter (April 21), Maireád Scannell says she will vote no to the Lisbon treaty as she doesn’t want to see her grandchildren conscripted into an EU army.

Neither do I, but I am voting yes. It is wrong to see the no side raise these baseless and irresponsible fears.

Time and time again they have claimed that voting yes to the EU would compel us to become increasingly militarised and lead to conscription into an EU army.

They have been proved wrong every single time. We have not become increasingly militarised — in fact the opposite is true. Despite all the claims of the no side, we have a smaller army now than 20 years ago. In 1987, there were more than 13,000 in the permanent defence forces. Today there are 10,500. Once again, facts speak for themselves and prove the no side wrong.

Catherine A McAllister

Killiney Gate

Church Road

Ballybrack

Co Dublin