‘Invasion’ threat in EU charter of basic rights

IT IS extremely worrying that in an effort to coax the unions towards a new partnership deal the Government is to promote the incorporation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in a new EU constitution.

We in the Control Platform have nothing against the requirement to recognise unions (article 28), but unless the Government insists on the removal of article 18 of the charter we may pay a very heavy price.

This guarantees the status of refugees in accordance with the Geneva Convention and the treaty establishing the European Community.

That could be interpreted by the European Court of Justice as debarring a contracting state to the Geneva Convention, such as Ireland, from its right to use the opt-out clause (article 44) of the convention and to make its own arrangements. Under no circumstances should we accept this.

The Charter of Fundamental Rights was meant for EU citizens. Surely those referred to in article 18 are from outside the EU. By strengthening the Geneva Convention it becomes, instead, a charter for invasion, just as that is, and therefore an instrument to undermine our freedoms.

Aine Ni Chonaill,

Immigration Control Platform,

PO Box 6469,

Dublin 2