British Tories must not set our line on Lisbon

RICHARD Murphy (Letters, May 18) believes the Irish people should not be consulted again on the Lisbon Treaty, modified for Ireland by a series of legal guarantees currently being negotiated.

Instead Mr Murphy wants Ireland to wait for a British Tory government to scupper the treaty.

His faith in the Tory party is touching. I wonder what in the history of that party’s dealings with Ireland makes him want to put our future in Tory hands?

Perhaps he hankers after the union we left in 1922 and sees our future in a more intimate relationship with a Tory-governed Britain.

Most Irish people will not agree with Mr Murphy. Our experience of EU membership has been hugely positive. It has helped transform Ireland.

Europe represents our best route to economic salvation in these troubled times. I, for one, cannot see any benefit for Ireland in allying ourselves with British Conservative priorities.

Ireland’s future needs to be decided in Ireland and not in London.

Dick Roche TD

Minister for European Affairs

Department of Foreign Affairs

Iveagh House

St Stephens Green

Dublin 2