Look where the Danes ended up
However, not one of the reasons he gave had anything to do with the Nice Treaty.
Not only will the world not end if Ireland votes ‘no,’ but enlargement will proceed and we will remain full members of the EU, just like Denmark, who have said ‘no’ to various EU referenda and currently hold the presidency of the union. Secondly, Mr Finlay claimed that a ‘yes’ vote would protect Irish neutrality. It will do nothing of the sort.
Our neutrality is being eroded on a daily basis. US warplanes continue to use Shannon airport as a stopover as they prepare for war in Iraq. We remain members of NATO's Partnership for Peace and the new European army, the Rapid Reaction Force. A ‘yes’ vote will not stop or prevent any of these breaches of our neutrality.
The Seville declarations are not part of the Nice Treaty and a have no legal basis whatsoever. They are promises from politicians who cannot be trusted, as recent events have shown.
For Mr Finlay to suggest that our neutrality will be protected shows that he is either very gullible or else a willing collaborator in spreading Government disinformation about Irish neutrality.
Gerry Casey,
7, Rosewood Court,
Maugheraboy,
Sligo
