EU stands for workers’ rights and safety on the job

I WISH to clarify a number of points made by Joan Walsh in her letter headlined ‘Treaty is a threat to the pay and conditions of many Irish workers’ (May 5).

As a member of the European Parliament committee dealing with social affairs and employment matters between 1994 and 2004, I firmly believe the EU has been to the forefront in ensuring our employment protection and employment rights legislation has been strengthened.

The EU has ensured that workplace discrimination based on gender or marital status has been prohibited. It has at all times protected the most vulnerable workers in our society.

The EU has ensured that stronger laws to protect workplace safety have been enacted.

I believe Irish workers have benefited tremendously from EU membership. For anyone to contend that the EU or the Lisbon Treaty is a bad deal for workers is putting forward an argument that does not stand up to close scrutiny.

The treaty has nothing to do with decisions laid down by the European Court of Justice in the past. The EU cannot change any tax rates in Europe unless it is with the unanimous support of all 27 member states.

Ireland will have exactly the same rights of representation on the European Commission as Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Poland and Spain.

Europe is not a federal state. The EU does not run our health and education services, it does not decide our citizenship laws and decisions in foreign affairs matters have to be taken with the unanimous agreement of all 27 EU states.

The referendum bill published by the Government does not make the Irish constitution subject to the EU alone. The constitution continues to be the legal document of the state that determines the precise relationship between Irish and EU law. Ireland has a very strong European safeguard concerning our laws on abortion. The protocol in the Maastricht Treaty states that nothing in the EU treaties or any future treaties shall affect the application in Ireland of Article 40.3.3 of the constitution which protects the life of the unborn.

No clause in the Lisbon Treaty can be amended unless it is decided unanimously by all 27 EU governments and such a change would have to be ratified in accordance with the constitutional requirements of each EU member state.

New powers are being conferred on the Council of Ministers (representing EU governments) and the European Parliament to ensure the EU can combat illegal drug importations and tackle cross-border crime.

Ireland’s neutrality is not affected by any provision of this treaty. We cannot join a common European defence arrangement unless it is with the approval of the Irish people in a separate referendum on this issue alone.

Brian Crowley MEP

Maryborough Lodge

Maryborough Hill

Douglas

Cork