EU officials should remain silent

THE director of the European Commission Office in Dublin, Peter Doyle, has written recently to the Irish Examiner in support of the proposed EU constitution.

As an Irish citizen Mr Doyle is entitled to vote as he likes on this issue when it is put to referendum; but with all due respect to him, I suggest that he is exceeding his functions as an EU commission servant by intervening in the Irish debate in this way, no matter how objective or valid he may consider the points he makes.

If the EU constitution is ratified, the EU commission obtains many new powers and functions; but it may not be ratified. Until that happens - if it does happen - the commission and its servants have no function in relation to it. It is just not their business to give ‘facts’ or arguments about it.