Parties fail to answer key question on Lisbon

YOUR report headlined ‘Tears and tantrums at Lisbon hearings” (November 21) did less than justice to Cóir and to those who had misgivings about the Lisbon Treaty and voted no.

Though the Oireachtas sub-committee meeting that was the subject of your report lasted only 10 minutes, this was a key event.

It was the only confrontation between, on the one hand, the major political parties and, on the other, those who brought about what was probably the major part of the no vote.

Cóir sought the answer to one question: were the political parties going to respect the vote of 862,000 people? If not, there was only one conclusion, ie, that the sole objective of the sub-committee was to attempt to overturn the democratic wishes of the majority of the Irish people. No answer was given to this key question.

If the sub-committee could not get past this issue, then there was little point in discussing subsidiary matters. With respect, this should have been drawn specifically to the attention of the public in your report.

The outcome is of concern to a great many people.

In regard to the place of Cóir in opposing this treaty, is it not merely “a group” who opposed the treaty. Cóir was a key player.

Of all the ‘no’ posters (excluding billboards) erected throughout the country, it is estimated that more than two-thirds were erected by Cóir.

Donal O’Driscoll

Dargle Road

Blackrock

Co Dublin