European Treaty - Desire for a referendum

The latest Red C Poll in the Sunday Business Post indicates 72% of the electorate desire a referendum on any new European treaty.

That is the kind of figure that no government can afford to ignore in a democracy.

The last Red C poll had indicated a small drop in support for both of the Government parties, but ignoring the wishes of 72% could be a recipe for disaster.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was savaged last week because he did not qualify his remarks by indicating he was only referring to some people when he complained that people had “gone mad borrowing” during the Celtic Tiger years. Some took his remarks out of context and assumed he was referring to all Irish people.

Of course, he was speaking to an audience abroad. Former taoiseach John Bruton noted that Mr Kenny’s remarks went down well in Davos, but then he was placing all of the blame on Irish people and ignoring the responsibility of those European bankers who recklessly encouraged that Irish borrowing.

If the new treaty involves any change in the Irish Constitution, it will have to be ratified by a referendum.

Politically, however, it is the essential the Government demonstrates that it is listening to the people in whatever it agrees with our European partners.