A vote for our children’s future
A treaty that is needed so they can progress reforms to stem the mounting eurozone debt crises. But is this the solution we want? So many are sceptical, afraid that we will give up yet more of our sovereignty, but the reality is we gave up that sovereignty back in 1973 when we joined the then Common Market. With 27 member states (soon to be 28 with Croatia joining this year) and 17 in the euro currency zone, we have a group of part-integrated, part-sovereign states, all subject to a variety of different parliamentary rules and constitutions that it is impossible for the ECB to enforce the already often broken rules of fiscal responsibility by every state in the EU.
Until Europe can control the euro and its rules, and bring the rule breakers to task, the current crises is beyond repair.
We can either be part of a federal state, with federal governance for all members, or we must leave the EU and stand on our own.
The euro sceptics can scream all they want about our sovereignty, but it’s a simple choice, one or the other. For so long we have benefited from being a member, but we can’t continue to ‘have our cake and eat it’. Unless, and until we can achieve a fully integrated federal system, Europe will continue to be in a state of permanent re-negotiation.
This forthcoming referendum must be passed, fiscal control of the euro by the ECB is needed to ensure we never face the crisis we are now in again. The politicians will serve us plenty of spin in the run up to the referendum. Both sides, yes and no, will try to confuse the issue with scare tactics designed to get our vote regardless of what we are actually voting for. It’s time all politicians were honest with us and stopped treating a very politically astute Irish public like fools.
The issue is simple: accept ECB fiscal control of our European currency or leave the euro and thus lose all we have gained from the troika in the bailout package. A yes vote in the referendum is a vote for the future, our children’s and our grandchildren’s future.
Peter O’Sullivan
Tralee
Co Kerry
