EU elitists show contempt for small nations

IN his letter (April 28), John J Carroll lauds the right of EU citizens to petition the (unelected) EU Commission under the terms of the Lisbon Treaty.

He mentions how the fine detail of this right to petition won’t be put in place until after the referendum. So, like much else in the treaty, we are being asked to accept a pig in a poke. Some hope. He also says the commission doesn’t have to take any notice of the petition.

That’s right, it doesn’t, even if it comes from several EU countries and has a few million signatures.

For those who say the commission would hardly ignore a widely-supported petition, I would reply that those who are confident of this should have it written in the treaty before the vote.

Anyway, we don’t have to be given a right to petition. People already have the right to send a petition to their rulers. Finally, I read that the European Parliament voted to ignore a no vote to from Ireland. Talk about contempt for small nations. This shows how EU elitists are desperately trying to bamboozle voters to make them think it’s pointless voting no because it won’t make a difference.

Well, the fact is that if Ireland votes no, then legally the treaty falls. This would give the citizens of Europe a chance to demand a far more democratic EU.

It would give farmers a chance to negotiate a deal that would make it possible for as much of our food supply as possible to be produced at home while still providing export opportunities.

It would give us the chance to prevent the EU building up its armaments industry, which it intends to do, and becoming part of NATO, which I believe it intends to do. As John O’Driscoll (Letters, April 28), said, “if you don’t know, vote no”.

Brian Abbott

Glencairn

Bishopstown Road

Cork