MEP says government ministers ‘unaware of key elements’ in treaty (14/5/08)
May 14, 2008 at 10:32 pm Leave a comment
Dublin’s Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald has accused two government ministers of failing to grasp essential issues related to the Lisbon Treaty. Speaking during radio interviews this week, the MEP said, ‘Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin denied Ireland is losing the veto over the outcome of international trade agreements. And Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea appeared unaware that Ireland will be unable to stop other EU states coming together in mini-military alliances and operating in the name of the EU.’
The Dublin MEP said she found it ‘unbelievable’ that a former enterprise minster (Micheál Martin) would be unaware of something that is so critically important to Irish business and farming. ‘The fact is,’ she added, ‘Ireland will lose its veto on trade agreements under article 188 of the treaty.’
Ms McDonald urged the government to ‘stop hiding behind slogans’ and instead to ‘come out and answer the specifics’.
Sinn Féin is the only Dáil party campaigning against the treaty, however the Socialist party has also expressed its opposition. At a press conference in Dublin this week, former Socialist TD Joe Higgins said the Lisbon Treaty would pave the way to further privatisation of public services.
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