No2Lisbon.net

Austria: Petition for withdrawal from EU started

2010-04-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

A coalition of groups opposed to the EU has launched a petition for a referendum for the withdrawal of Austria’s membership in the EU in early March. In a press statement the independent initiative said they launch the petition as ‘a response of citizens against the push through of the Lisbon Treaty’.

A spokes person said the aim is ‘to save the future of Austria’. The platform of the petition includes following demands: Re-establishing a crisis-proof domestic economy and the welfare state, neutrality, GM-free products, repeal of the Euro and introduction of direct democracy.

According to Austrian law a petition must be discussed in parliament if at least 100.000 eligible voters support it.

Meanwhile a second petition for the withdrawal from the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), one of the fundamental treaties of the EU, was started by the Initiative for Peace & Solidarity.

Raus aus EURATOM-Volksbegehren
EU-Austritts-Volksbegehren

Military component trade over €6 Billion

2010-03-09T00:17:00.000-08:00

A report in the Irish Times (8/3/10) states that the military component trade has increased to over €6 billion. On the 6/3/10 in the same paper an article in the business section of the same paper states that the defence sector can help put the economy on a secure footing.

Roger Cole, Chair of PANA in response said:

"Since 1996 PANA has campaigned against the integration of Ireland into the US/EU/NATO military industrial structures. Our key argument on the "debate" on the Lisbon Treaty was that its core purpose was to accelerate the militarisation of the European Union and to ensure Ireland's full and active participation in this war machine. These two stories are absolute proof that everything we were saying was correct. The US/EU/NATO is now committed to an unending war in Afghanistan/Iraq/Pakistan/Yemen/Somalia and if they have their way Iran as well. The driving force behind these wars is the US/EU/NATO military industrial complex and the Irish political/media elite are completely determined that Ireland via its over €6 billion industry, its soldiers taking an active part in the Afghan war and the use of Shannon Airport by the US Army, that the Irish people should play their role in these imperial wars that create jobs for killing, and the hatred ! of Muslims that sustains them. We believe this neo-liberal militarist ideology of the Irish political/media elite is a disaster for the people of Afghanistan and Iraq, and impoverishes the people in Ireland the rest of Europe and the USA. On the 14/3/10 at 2.00pm Shannonwatch will be organising another vigil against this ideology at Shannon Airport. We call upon the media to give this vigil the attention it deserves."

German Minister calls for Lisbon Treaty EU Army

2010-02-11T04:52:00.000-08:00

GERMAN foreign minister Guido Westerwelle called for the EU to proceed with plans for a European army under the Lisbon Treaty, which he dubbed “the beginning and not the end” of a common security and defence policy.

His remarks at the annual Munich Security Conference followed a call by Berlin’s defence minister Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg to end what he called NATO’s “absurd” practice of unanimous decision-making.

“The (Lisbon) treaty lays out a common security and defence policy. The federal government wants to make progress on this front,” said Guido Westerwelle. “The long-term goal is to build up a European army under parliamentary control. The EU has to live up to political expectations of its role as a global player.”

The foreign minister sketched out a role for such an army as crisis management in a time of resource scarcity, to be developed by willing member states over time as a “motor for closer co-operation” in the EU. In a nod to NATO, Guido Westerwelle said such EU structures would not replace other military structures.

Germany’s top diplomat received backing for his plan from his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, who called for a “single European military-political space” in which no one country’s security was sacrificed for another.

“We want to overcome the bloc-thinking of the Cold War in Europe and create a new kind of mutual trust,” said Sergi Lavrov.

The weekend meeting in Munich, a think-in for defence players, was dominated by the ongoing standoff with Iran over nuclear uranium enrichment which Tehran says is energy and not military-related, as western countries fear.

EU foreign minister Catherine Ashton said the “possibilities of dialogue are not yet exhausted”, despite clear impatience from other conference speakers.

Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki made a surprise appearance in Munich, raising hopes of an important announcement, only to dash them again with a general statement about “conducive ground . . . to agreement in the near future”.

Mr zu Guttenberg dismissed Manouchehr Mottaki’s Munich trip as a “farce”.

Turning his attention to NATO, he called on an end to the “cultivated absurdity” of the alliance’s principle of unanimity in decision making. “We talk too much and act too little,” he said.

Lisbon paves way for EU/NATO alliance

2010-02-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

COMMENTS by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the Lisbon Treaty provides a platform for deeper ties between the EU and NATO confirms one of the main arguments against the Lisbon Treaty according to the President of Republican Sinn Féin Des Dalton: “This bears out one of the central arguments of those who called for a rejection of Lisbon. As Republican Sinn Féin argued in both referenda held in the 26 Counties the purpose of the Lisbon Treaty was to bring the EU project to its logical next step in the construction of an undemocratic and militarised superstate.

“Hillary Clinton’s comments regarding 'energy security' are significant. It would appear the ground is being prepared for NATO to act as the military arm of the EU - fighting the resource wars forecast by the then President of the EU Commission Jacques Delors in 1992 - over what have been identified as the key resources of water, food and energy."

“The world vision set out by Hillary Clinton is one where the political and economic hegemony of the rich northern hemisphere over the poor south will be enforced by NATO.” Des Dalton said.

Hillary Clinton was speaking at the French military academy in Paris on January 29.
Answering a question from her audience, Hillary Clinton said EU’s energy policy in particular would benefit from closer co-ordination with NATO. “They are no longer separated. It’s hard to say that security is only about what it was when Nato was formed and the EU has no role to play in security issues,” she said.

“These, of course, are decisions for the Europeans to make with respect to the EU.”
Hillary Clinton said she recognised that national differences must be respected, “even in the time of greater European integration”.

However, the complexity of today’s world was such that the development of common policies would serve the EU and NATO. In this respect the EU would concentrate on economic, development and political issues while NATO would deal mainly with security.

“Take, for example, energy security,” she said. “It would be the EU’s responsibility to create policies that would provide more independence and protection from intimidations when it comes to energy markets for its member nation. But I can also see how, in certain cases respecting energy, there may be a role for NATO as well.”

While it was important to respect and honour “foundation institutions”, she said questions should be asked about how they could function better.

Citing moves to reform NATO, Hilary Clinton said reforms at EU level would make co-operation with the military alliance easier.

“Under the Lisbon Treaty, with more focus and specific leadership attached to foreign policy and development assistance, there will be a way to better co-ordinate,” she said.

Although “some questions” had been raised in recent months about the depth of Washington’s commitment to Europe, she said European security was “an anchor” of US foreign policy.

US military forces will remain on the European continent to “deter attacks and to respond quickly” if any occur, she said.

NATO to act as the military arm of the EU

2010-02-02T01:08:00.000-08:00

Statement by the President of Republican Sinn Féin Des Dalton

Comments by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the Lisbon Treaty provides a platform for deeper ties between the EU and NATO confirms one of the main arguments against the Lisbon Treaty according to the President of Republican Sinn Féin Des Dalton who in a statement said:

“This bears out one of the central arguments of those who called for a rejection of Lisbon. As Republican Sinn Féin argued in both referenda held in the 26 Counties the purpose of the Lisbon Treaty was to bring the EU project to its logical next step in the construction of an undemocratic and militarised superstate.

“Hillary Clinton’s comments regarding “energy security” are significant. It would appear the ground is being prepared for NATO to act as the military arm of the EU in order to fight the resource wars - forecast by the then President of the EU Commission Jacques Delors in 1992 - over what have been identified as the key resources of water, food and energy.

“The world vision set out by Hillary Clinton is one where the political and economic hegemony of the rich northern hemisphere over the poor south will be enforced by NATO.” Des Dalton said.

EU Defence Minsters to Establish an Military Transport Fleet

2009-11-27T12:25:00.000-08:00

IN A statement on November 23 the Peace & Neutrality Alliance (PANA) said that fourteen of the EU's Defence Ministers have signed a letter of intent to establish an EU Military Transport Fleet based on the A400M and the C130. Various options are being considered and the European Defenc Agency CEO Alexander Weiss hoped to achieve operating capability by 2014.

The states are; Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, German, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden, while two other unnamed countries are set to sign in the coming weeks.

Roger Cole, Chair of PANA said:

“PANA made the case during the Lisbon referendum that the core rationale of the treaty was to facilitate the acceleration of the process of the militarisation of the EU. The creation of a European Military Transport Fleet can only be justified if the intention is to transport a large European Army to places well beyond the borders of the EU such as Afghanistan or Iran. It is not clear if Ireland is one of the unnamed countries but there is no doubt that the political parties and corporate media that supported the Lisbon Treaty were well aware of the acceleration in the process of the militarisation of the EU as witnessed by the creation of this MTF.

“PANA however will continue to oppose this process of military escalation in conjunction with our allies in the European peace movement. We are convinced that the latest polls in for example in Britain, that show over 70% of the people want the British troops to withdraw from Afghanistan, that the people's of Europe reject the war agenda of the political/corporate media elite and that this rejection will find political expression in time and perhaps sooner than later.”

Struggle goes on after Lisbon

2009-11-06T03:21:00.000-08:00

IN A STATEMENT the Vice President of Republican Sinn Féin Des Dalton said that the Czech Republic’s ratification of the Lisbon Treaty on November 3, paving the way for its adoption as EU law does not mark the end of history. “The principles of upon which the campaign against the Lisbon Treaty was fought are timeless and will hold true as long as the human race exists.

“The fight for real political and economic democracy both within and between states must go on. The struggle against imperialism in Ireland is part of the wider international struggle for human progress, freedom and democracy.

“The forces we face have rarely been more formidable but the ideals which inform our activism and struggle have never been more relevant or needed.” Des Dalton said.

CZECH PRESIDENT Václav Klaus finally signed the Lisbon Treaty on November 3, clearing the way for the reform accord to become European Union law as early as next month.

The Czech constitutional court threw out a final objection to it but he was granted an exemption from a rights charter that he said would expose it to property claims from millions of Germans who were expelled from Czechoslovakia after the second World War.

“I had expected the court ruling and I respect it, although I fundamentally disagree with its content and justification . . . With the Lisbon Treaty taking effect, the Czech Republic will cease to be a sovereign state, despite the political opinion of the constitutional court,” said Václav Klaus.

It is the last of the EU’s 27 member states to ratify the treaty, which will give the bloc a full-time president and a more powerful foreign policy chief.

Václav Klaus fears it will transfer too much power from national governments to Brussels and lay the groundwork for an EU “super-state”.

Klaus’s signature ends some eight years of wrangling over how to reform the workings of the EU.

Fredrik Reinfeldt, premier of current EU presidency holder Sweden, said the treaty could come into force next month, and that a summit would be held “as soon as possible” to find the first EU president.

Challenge to Referendum Result in Supreme Court

2009-10-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

AN attempt to bring a number of legal challenges aimed at overturning the result of the second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty was refused by Justice Seán Ryan in the High Court, Dublin on October 12, which ruled the arguments advanced were political not legal.

The challenges were brought by Harry Rea, Blarney Road, Co Cork; Nora Bennis, North Circular Road, Limerick; Mark McCrystal, Swords Road, Dublin, and Richard Behal, Killarney, Co Kerry.

All four made their applications personally without the assistance of lawyers and sought leave to seek declarations that the result of the referendum is null and void and the amendment itself is repugnant to the Constitution.

Among a series of claims, it was alleged the Government acted outside its jurisdiction by failing to put the “guarantees” obtained by it concerning the Lisbon Treaty before the Oireachtas prior to the referendum.

A number of arguments were also made about the status of those guarantees.
It was claimed there had been “a cynical deception” of the people and the Government had acted beyond its authority by involving the heads of other member states in their private capacity so as to create an internationally binding treaty affecting people’s fundamental rights and constitutional protections without obtaining their consent.

It was also argued that retaining the same title for the latest Bill was an attempt to eradicate the existence of the previous vote which the Government lost and “should have respected”.

Mr Justice Ryan also rejected an earlier application by the four for an order granting them their costs of bring their case and any subsequent judicial review proceedings on the basis that the matter had been brought in the national interest and not for any personal benefit.

The four lodged an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Statements on Lisbon Referendum Result

2009-10-10T11:34:00.000-07:00

IN A statement on October 3 Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, President, Republican Sinn Féin said that the result of the Lisbon referendum in the 26 Counties made for further integration into the EU, that is more power to Brussels and less power in Ireland.

“The current economic recession was harnessed by the Yes advocates to stir up the fears of the people. Massive resources were deployed at home and abroad and false promises made of "jobs" and "recovery" by simply voting Yes.

“The reason for such a massive swing in sixteen months towards the Yes side was the fear about the economy and the doubling of unemployment since the last Lisbon referendum.

“A major contributory factor to the boom and the corruption which accompanied it was the ceding of control of interest rate policies to the EU.

“The entire print media were unashamedly pro-Treaty in a vote which was not about EU membership. Will those who promoted Yes not deliver on their promises of jobs and recovery and will the compliant media hold them to their commitments?

“I wish to express gratitude to all Republican Sinn Féin members and supporters who worked hard to oppose this tightening of the EU grip on Ireland.”

Richard Walsh, Republican Sinn Féin Derry

National PRO Richard Walsh said that Republican Sinn Féin congratulated the 33% of the electorate in the 26-Counties who refused to be bought by the outright lies of the “Yes” side in the repeat Lisbon referendum.

He continued: “Once again the 26-County state has shown that by ignoring the will of its people they can achieve their desired outcome. Furthermore, on this occasion, campaigners for a ‘No’ vote were denied equal coverage in the media. This was coupled with advertisements from the Referendum Commission which were clearly favourable to the "Yes" side. Despite widespread criticism of the Iranian Presidential election, a compliant media is prepared to ignore coercion of voters by the EU and its subordinates.

“EU Commission President Barroso previously described the EU as an ‘Empire’, and it is clear that without intervention all Nations within the EU are set to become stateless.

“Great responsibility lies with Czech President Vaclav Klaus to ensure that this does not happen. He must defend the voiceless throughout the EU and refuse to sign this death-warrant for nation-states.

“It should also be noted that Brian Lenihan has admitted that talk of job-creation and economic recovery in the event of a ‘Yes’ vote was a lie. And despite claims that it was in the interests of democracy to allow voters to change their mind, there is no suggestion that they will again be allowed to adjudicate on the EU Constitution under the guise of the Lisbon Treaty.”

Roger Cole, Peace and Neutrality Alliance

Roger Cole, chairperson of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) said that the ‘Yes’ vote was a victory for imperialism.

He said: “Just as the no vote last year was a victory for Irish Independence, democracy and neutrality, the yes vote today was a victory for imperialism, a victory for those political forces that want to transform the European Union into a centralised neo-liberal militarised superstate.

“The yes vote was a major victory for those political forces in Ireland and throughout the EU that seek to transform the EU into a centralised, militarised, neo-liberal European Superstate. Tony Blair whose total commitment to imperial war is beyond dispute will be appointed President of the EU Council of Ministers.

“The military provisions of the Lisbon Treaty will be introduced immediately. The Swedish Presidency has already called for more ‘flexibility’ in the use of the EU Battle Groups, and they will be sent to take part in the Afghanistan/Pakistan war. This war will however destroy the European Union just as the Soviet Union was destroyed by an earlier war in the same region.

“So while we have lost this battle, PANA is absolutely convinced that the ambitions and arrogance of the Irish and EU elite whose money and power, in particular, their control and ownership of the Irish corporate media was responsible for their victory today, will led to the destruction of the EU Empire via this war.

“PANA, which played a key role in build the progressive alliance, say No to Lisbon intends to continue the struggle against imperialism, defeat it, and build from the ashes of its defeat a Partnership Europe, a partnership of independent, democratic states, legal equals without a military dimension.”

Polish President signs Lisbon Treaty into Law

2009-10-10T11:33:00.000-07:00

POLISH president Lech Kaczynski signed the European Union's reform treaty into law on Saturday October 10, leaving the Czech Republic as the only country still to ratify the document.

The Lisbon Treaty is designed to streamline decision-making and give the 27-nation bloc a long-term president and a stronger foreign policy chief. It can only take effect when all member states have approved it. “Only (Czech) President Vaclav Klaus' signature is missing. Europe eagerly awaits this to happen, Europe needs no more delays,” said Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, who attended the televised signing ceremony in Poland's presidential palace.

Klaus set out his terms on Friday for signing the treaty, demanding an exemption to protect Prague from post-war property claims and safeguard the sovereignty of the judiciary.

The Czech parliament has approved the document but the president must sign international treaties.

Asked if Klaus' objections were a threat to the treaty, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said: “No, this is not a threat to the treaty. I am sure the treaty will be ratified soon and that it will have all the elements inside to move on soon.”

One step closer to becoming a province within Europe

2009-10-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

REPUBLICAN Sinn Féin would like to congratulate all those within the Republican movement, who stood up to Brussels and Leinster house whilst campaigning for a NO vote.

However, the 26 and 6 occupied counties of Ireland are one step closer to becoming an area governed as a unit within the European Union.

Whilst the Irish people have had to suffer the on going occupation by the British empire for hundreds of years, they are now faced with the prospect of becoming a statelet within Europe.

The balance of power has now been directed towards Brussels by the free state administration.

Lisbon result: 'More power to Brussels, less in Ireland' -- Ó Brádaigh

2009-10-03T11:39:00.001-07:00

Statement from Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, President, Republican Sinn Féin

The result of the Lisbon referendum in the 26 Counties makes for further integration into the EU, that is more power to Brussels and less power in Ireland.

The current economic recession was harnessed by the Yes advocates to stir up the fears of the people. Massive resources were deployed at home and abroad and false promises made of "jobs" and "recovery" by simply voting Yes.

The reason for such a massive swing in sixteen months towards the Yes side was the fear about the economy and the doubling of unemployment since the last Lisbon referendum.

A major contributory factor to the boom and the corruption which accompanied it was the ceding of control of interest rate policies to the WU.

The entire print media were unashamedly pro-Treaty in a vote which was not about EU membership. Will those who promoted Yes not deliver on their promises of jobs and recovery and will the compliant media hold them to their commitments?

I wish to express gratitude to all Republican Sinn Féin members and supporters who worked hard to oppose this tightening of the EU grip on Ireland.

EU state comes closer to fruition

2009-10-03T11:38:00.001-07:00

REPUBLICAN Sinn Féin congratulates the 33% of the electorate in the 26-Counties who refused to be bought by the outright lies of the “Yes” side in the repeat Lisbon referendum.

Once again the 26-County state has shown that by ignoring the will of its people they can achieve their desired outcome. Furthermore, on this occasion, campaigners for a “No” vote were denied equal coverage in the media. This was coupled with advertisements from the Referendum Commission which were clearly favourable to the “Yes” side. Despite widespread criticism of the Iranian Presidential election, a compliant media is prepared to ignore coercion of voters by the EU and its subordinates.

EU Commission President Barroso previously described the EU as an “Empire”, and it is clear that without intervention all Nations within the EU are set to become stateless.

Great responsibility lies with Czech President Vaclav Klaus to ensure that this does not happen. He must defend the voiceless throughout the EU and refuse to sign this death-warrant for nation-states.

It should also be noted that Brian Lenihan has admitted that talk of job-creation and economic recovery in the event of a “Yes” vote was a lie. And despite claims that it was in the interests of democracy to allow voters to change their mind, there is no suggestion that they will again be allowed to adjudicate on the EU Constitution under the guise of the Lisbon Treaty.

Lisbon Treaty is passed

2009-10-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

Belfast Telegraph: Republic votes Yes to Lisbon Treaty . . .

Irish Times: Vote to remain at heart of Europe . . .

No to Lisbon2 Meetings

2009-10-01T10:42:00.000-07:00

REPUBLICAN Sinn Féin held a press conference on Monday, September 21 in Buswell's Hotel, Dublin. It was held as part of Republican Sinn Féin's campaign for a No vote in the forthcoming second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

Leading German law expert Professor Karl Albrecht Schachtsneider -- who took the famous legal challenge to the Lisbon Treaty before the German Federal Constitutional Court which had delayed the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty - who has come to Ireland to support the No campaign addressed the press conference along with the President of Republican Sinn Féin, Ruairí Ó Brádaigh.

Professor Schachtsneider also spoke at a public meeting in Wynn's Hotel on September 22 and in the Imperial Hotel, Galway on September 23.

He was very well received at both venues and his lecture was followed by a question and answer session.

Ruairí Ó Brádaigh also spoke at both venues which were chaired by Des Dalton, Vice-President Republican Sinn Féin and Galway County Councillor Tomás Ó Curraoin.

Carried below are Professor Schachtsneider’s address in Dublin and Galway and an edited version of Ruairí Ó Brádaigh’s address.

Irish Arguments against the Lisbon Treaty

2009-10-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

Prof. Dr. iur. K.A. Schachtschneider, Nuremberg/Germany
Dublin, 21 September 2009

1) Repetition of the referendum on the same treaty

Rejection of the Treaty by the Irish

The Lisbon Treaty is only marginally different from the Constitution Treaty. The Lisbon Treaty does no longer speak of a “Constitution for Europe”, although it remains such a constitution, it no longer ordains symbols of the Union like the Hymn, the Flag, the Euro, although these symbols are being practised, and it conceals the primacy of the Treaties and the low adopted by the Union on the basis of the Treaties over the law of the Member States in the 17th Declaration, although this primacy is permanent usage of decision making in the European Court of Justice.

The people of Ireland rejected this treaty in the referendum of June 12, 2008. This means the treaty is a failure. In Germany, foregoing ratification, the Federal Constitutional Court had to decide on constitutional law suits by myself and others. It accepted approval of the Lisbon Treaty by the German parliament (“Bundestag” and “Bundesrat”) only “in consideration of the reasons” as stated in the decision of the Court issued on June 30th 2009. Due to the reservations in the Court decision the Treaty has been changed essentially.

The repeated referendum on the Lisbon Treaty is illegal, because a plebiscite must not be repeated only because the government does not accept the result on pressure exerted by its contractual partners. The people have the sovereignty, in other words:

The people are sovereign, not the government, not the parliament. All people in Europe thinking in terms of freedom and justice are enraged that Ireland is forced to repeat its referendum. For this fact alone all Irish people should vote NO.

2) Dubious Concessions to Ireland

Neither the concessions of the heads of state or government of June 18/19th 2009 nor a protocol of the same content do change the Lisbon Treaty in any way, neither formally nor materially.

a) The number of the commissioners was not fixed in a mandatory way.

b) According to Section A of the Conclusion the provisions of the Treaty should not affect the applicability of the protection of the rights to life, protection of the family and the protection of the rights in respect rights of education providing by the Constitution of Ireland.” This Conclusion does not grant anything which is not valid anyway. The Irish people are being deceived if something else is pretended. The validity of the national constitutions and laws is not affected by the laws of the Union. The validity of the national constitutions and legislations is not affected by Union legislation. The terms which are decisive are “scope” and “applicability”. The applicability of Union Law has primacy. The Irish protection of fundamental rights opposed to the Treaties and legislation of the Union will be lost

c) According to section B of the Conclusion the Lisbon Treaty “nothing makes any change of any kind for any Member State to the extent or operation of the competences of the European Union in relation to taxation”. Once again the Irish are told that their sovereignty will be respected although in fact nothing is being conceded or altered. The Treaty clearly rules in article 311 paragraph 3 sentence 2 (TFEU) that the EU Council may decide unanimously on “new categories of own resources” of he Union, meaning also taxes. Thereby the tax competences in the member states are not affected, but it paves the way for additional taxation by the European Union. By the way, according to Art. 269, paragraph 2 EVG, the Council could decide on the equity capital also before now.

d) Also section C (security and defence) does not change the Lisbon Treaty and does not justify a new referendum in Ireland. It states: “The Treaty of Lisbon does not affect or prejudice Ireland’s traditional policy of military neutrality”. This is made clear in article 42, paragraph 2, subparagraph 2, sentence 1, TEU and is repeated in paragraph 7, sentence 2 ruling the obligation for assistance if an armed attack strikes the sovereign territory of a member state. Ireland has to agree to a common defence by referendum. But what does the neutrality clause mean in reality?

The Constitution Treaty establishes a military Union power which to develop and strengthen becomes an obligation of the member states (art. 42 par. 3 TEU). “The Member States shall undertake progressively to improve their military capabilities” (Subpar. 2 s. 1). For this purpose there is the European Defence Agency (Subpar 2 s. 2). This also applies to Ireland.

Part of the common security and defence Policies are “the missions outside of the Union for peace-keeping, conflict-prevention and strengthening of international security in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations” (art. 42 par. 1 TEU). The term “terrorism” is nowhere defined and unclear. The Union empowers itself for Combating against Terrorism also in third countries (art. 43 par. 1 s. 2 TEU). With “terrorism” the marching into a third country and its occupation may be justified. These are regarded as “tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peace-making and post-conflict stabilisation.” (art. 43 par. 1 s. 1 TEU). With the authorization for missions the Union gives itself the right for making wars (ius ad bellum) which cannot be justified with the purposes as stated here. The prohibition of the usage of force is a foundation pillar of modern international law (art. 2 par. 1 UN-Charter). Interventions are prohibited, also the humane intervention. World peace only justifies the use of military forces in case this is resolved by the UN Security Council (art. 42 UN-Charter).

Such missions do not at all affect the principle of neutrality, because they are no wars between states according to the traditions of international law, in particular international law of war. The so-called Irish clause does not apply. Nevertheless they are wars, modern or non-symmetrical wars. The EU of the Lisbon Treaty is arming for war. It is not an organ of peace. Ireland will not be able to escape from war. The EU is about to establish itself as global or great power beside the United States of America. Thus the obligation for peace (“Friedensparadigma”) which is being spread everywhere as the most important justification of EU integration is abandoned.

Arguments against the Treaty

1. The Lisbon Treaty is incompatible with the Constitution of the Republic of Ireland. It infringes the irrevocable principles of structure of Ireland, i.e. the democratic principle, the principle of rule of law, the social principle, which are not at the disposal of politics, not even to those of the Irish people, because this would put an end to the freedom and equality of the Irish as well as to their brotherhood or solidarity to each other, ie the constitution which is born with man, the dignity of the Irish.

2. In consequence of the principle of democracy, the republic of Ireland must not transfer her existential statehood or existential tasks and competences of the state to an European Union who has no independent democratic legitimation and no original sovereignty, since power of government in Ireland is derived “under God from the people”.

3. As federal state by Treaty, the Union is provided with the tasks and competences of an existential state, without having been legitimated for these by a European people who had constituted itself to an existential state. The peoples of the member states are only able to legitimate joint exercising of the transferred rights of sovereignty, if the principle of restricted empowerment is observed. This principle alone makes possible democratic accountability of Union politics through national parliaments. The wide and open empowerments of the Union disregard the democratic principle of the Republic of Ireland insofar as this principle is irrevocable in a community of freedom, equality and fraternity. The principal of restricted empowerment is the “life-lie” of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany. This principle is only laid down in the Lisbon Treaty in German version. The English version speaks of “principle of conferral”.

4. The economic and monetary union brought about a neo-liberal constitution of markets and competition. The resulting denationalisation is incompatible with the principle of social welfare, and especially with the principle of economic stability which would include an obligation for effective employment policies. The social principle of welfare is predominantly emphasised in article 45 of the Irish Constitution, thus reflecting Christian social ethics. It is an irrevocable structural principle. Due to the Fundamental Freedoms (free movement of goods, services, capital, persons, meaning freedom of movement for workers and freedom of establishment) the Court of the European Union has enforced deregulation of the economic structures of the member states. With its judicature it has given over responsibility for the economy to the European and global markets and to an unlimited competition without consideration of regional and above all ethical aspects. It does not give any real chance to national employment politics. It is in particular the free movement of capital which led to the deterioration of the economy location of Ireland despite having had a temporary boom. As a member of the European Union, Ireland is not able to protect her people from “unlawful exploitation”. The crisis of the finance market has revealed to everybody the disastrous effects of undemocratic global capitalism.

5. The European Council and the Council control the principles of the economic policy of Ireland in accordance with the economic constitution of the Union, but to the disadvantage of the Irish economic Constitution with its social considerations, and - as far as seems ‘necessary’ – also to the disadvantage of Irish economic interests. On these principles multinational supervision of economic policy is based.

6. The principle of country of origin together with the principle of mutual recognition to a large extent removes democracy from the conditions of life in the member states, e.g. in the legislation on foodstuffs, in the legislation on services and labour, on enterprises, on the capital market, because it is not the laws of the country of destination, which have become authoritative, but those of the country of origin.

7. The in no way democratically legitimised Court of the European Union understands itself as an engine of integration. It has usurped the legislation on issues of principles especially regarding fundamental rights, by means of direct and primary applicability of Union legislation which it has executed, but also by transforming the Freedoms of Movement into subjective fundamental rights, resulting in social deregulations. Thus the European Court devalued national responsibility for the law. It has also deprived national politics from power in contradiction to the Constitution of Ireland. The 17th Declaration to the Treaty of Lisbon expressively emphasises the primacy of the Treaties and all Acts of the Union, including secondary and tertiary Union legislation, over the whole of the member states, even over their constitutional law. This has been permanent practice of the Court since 1963. It is in contradiction to the Maastricht judgement and the Lisbon judgement of the German federal constitutional court and is incompatible with the existential statehood of the member states.

8. The protection of the fundamental rights against judicial acts of the Union is running idle to a large extent, since the Court of the Union has been responsible for fundamental rights. In more than half a century the Court had declared only one act of Union legislation as opposed to the fundamental rights. The reservation of the German constitutional court demanding that the essence of the fundamental rights must remain sacrosanct in general is without practical consequences.

9. The protection of fundamental rights has come into bad hands, because the Court of the Union neither is democratically legitimised nor possesses the required knowledge of the national systems of law for providing protection for the rights of the people. The European Charter of Fundamental Rights weakens the protection of fundamental rights. Neither do you find it as social liability of property as emphasised in the Irish constitution in art. 43 nor as a right of employment. Freedom of the media is only to be respected, freedom of teaching is not mentioned, a.s.o. The Christian constitution of Ireland is totally neglected by the outspoken secular judicature of the Court, in particular regarding protection of the families and of mothers from economic enforcement of having to go to work (in contradiction to art. 47 par 2 of the Irish Constitution).

10. The Charter of Fundamental Rights permits capital punishment in case of war and in case of immediate threat of war. The death penalty may also be introduced by the Union according to its empowerments regarding defence politics. In order to “legally suppress” an “uprising” or “riot” the permission to kill may be given despite the right to life.

11. The area of freedom, security and justice is an existential territory of state. The security guarantee for it is increasingly being taken over by the European Union without really being capable for doing it. The European state attorney and the European arrest warrant deeply interfere with national criminal sovereignty. According to the Lisbon Treaty the Union is allowed more and more to set criminal rules, too.

12. Member states lose to a large extent their defence sovereignty by integration of their armed forces into Common Defence. Missions out of area of the Union for purposes of making peace, conflict management and strengthening of international security may and will be wars, since the missions are to be authorised to combat terrorism also in third countries. A intervention of this kind is prohibited by the international prohibition of using force. The Union, however, is giving itself the right to war. The traditional neutrality of Ireland is being respected, but is no longer relevant in the new asymmetrical wars [combating terrorism etc]. It is in fact restricted to armed aggression on sovereignty of a member state.

13. The Lisbon Treaty empowers the Union in a general financial policy clause of art. 311 (TFEU) to provide itself with European taxes and further own resources, without the national parliaments having to agree to this. In the simplified Proceedings for the Alterations of the Treaty {art. 48 par. 6 TEU) the European Council is empowered to change totally or in part all regulations of the Part Third of the Treaty on the Functioning of the Union {TFEU) comprising the internal market, the economic and monetary union, the employment and social union, the area of freedom, security and justice, and most other areas of politics, without the national parliaments, and less so the peoples, having to agree to this according to the Treaty. Also the European parliament and the Commission are only to be heard. In fact the competence of the Union must not be extended but these competences are extremely extensive as stated in articles 3-6 TFEU. For the agreement of the member states that of the governments shall be sufficient, because the Conclusion of the European Council is no international treaty and the empowerment as such changes the constitution of Ireland, thus making a new referendum not compulsory.

14. The principle of subsidiarity is completely devalued through the competence of ultimate decision by the European Court.

Outlook

New international Treaties have to generate a European Europe which is democratic, ruled by the law and social, which preserves freedom, equality and fraternity of people and peoples, which does not develop the European Union to a centralised unionised state, but which is upholding cooperation of peoples determining their fate independently. In particular the economic constitution has to become a social one not allowing the further exploitation of people. The present Union is organised in a way which may degenerate into a dictatorship. Only in a republic of republics we Europeans can live in a free and European manner.

The Irish people are called upon to defend the rights of the Irish through saying NO to the Treaty of Lisbon. The Irish people have the last chance to defend freedom, equality and fraternity, democracy, the rule of law and the social welfare state for all peoples in the European Union. Without an Irish NO all people in Europe face exploitation, war and injustice. The Irish have the opportunity to save human dignity in Europe.

Prof. Schachtschneider on Lisbon treaty

2009-09-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

Speech by the leading German legal EU-expert Prof. Dr. Karl Albrecht Schachtschneider on the Lisbon Treaty held in Vienna, Austria, on 8th Septmber 2009.

Eve of All-Ireland rally held in Dublin

2009-09-27T02:48:00.000-07:00

A REPUBLICAN rally against Lisbon 2 was the theme of this year's eve of the All-Ireland football final rally in Dublin.

The rally began at the Garden of Remembrance and paraded to the GPO led by a Na Fianna Éireann colour party and a lone piper. The piper was held by tge RUC earlier that day. Des Dalton, vice-president Sinn Féin Poblachtach chaired the proceedings.

He introduced Pádraig Garvey from Cahersiveen in Kerry who said that "each year the rally highlights the continuing plight of the Irish people under British occupation and the resulting violence, harassment and sectarianism."

Speech by Pádraig Garvey . . .

Fergal Moore from Lurgan and Monaghan was the second speaker of the day.

Speech by Fergal Moore . . .

The proceedings closed with the piper playing of Amharan na bhFiann.

'No to new Federal-style European Union!'

2009-09-27T02:45:00.001-07:00

Speech by Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, held in Dublin and Galway, September 2009.

"UNDER Lisbon, a new EU would be created which would be a supranational Federation, in effect a United States of Europe," said Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, President of Republican Sinn Féin on September 21 in Dublin and September 22 in Galway.

"This is the central issue which is being avoided by the 'Yes' advocates. They are pursuing other matters and ignoring this vital point.

"If people grasped that core of the whole question they would be much more likely to vote 'No' to Lisbon. In summary Lisbon means more power to Brussels and less power in Ireland.

"In addition, it would radically shift control of the EU towards the Big States by basing its law-making primarily on population size. While Germany doubled her voting power to 17.1the 26-County State is halved to a mere 0.8%.

"The right to veto harmful measures in more than 50 areas of policy will be lost. The arrangements proposed add up to a power grab by the Big States and the Brussels bureaucracy. Further political centralisation is what it is all about.

"The right, as at present, to propose and decide who will be a Commissioner will be replaced with a right to make suggestions only for the incoming Commission President and the Big States to decide. This move from a bottom-up to a top-down appointment process has also been ignored by the 'Yes' side of this debate.

"In military matters, Lisbon would require more to be spent on equipment and this could see deep cuts in funds for education, health care, social welfare, pensions and the like. As members of an EU federal state, countries would have to go to the aid of any other member state under attack. This is surely a military alliance like NATO and contrary to the idea of neutrality.

"Then there has been the attack on workers' rights by the EU Courts of Justice rulings in the Laval and related judgements. These put the competition rules of the EU market above the right of trade unions to enforce pay standards higher than the minimum for migrant workers.

"Under Lisbon these judgements would become part of EU case law and institutionalise them. Also Lisbon would give the EU full control of immigration policy.

"To sum up, Lisbon would turn the 26 Counties into a regional or provincial state within this new Federal-style European Union, with the EU's Constitution and laws having legal primacy over the Constitution and laws of the state. That alone should motivate people to vote 'No' on October 2."

Pádraig Garvey on Lisbon treaty

2009-09-27T02:39:00.001-07:00

Speech by Pádraig Garvey at the Eve of All-Ireland rally, Dublin 2009.

Pádraig Garvey from Cahersiveen in Kerry said that "each year the rally highlights the continuing plight of the Irish people under British occupation and the resulting violence, harassment and sectarianism."

He spoke on the "uneven distribution of wealth and the poverty, hardship and crime that flows from that.

"But this year there is a new focus - the re-running of the EU Constitution/Lisbon Treaty.

"The people of the 26-County State rejected that Treaty but that decision was not accepted by the EU or more importantly by the leaders of the Free State. Instead of going to Brussels to represent the decision of the people they went to promise a rerun of the same Treaty. Not one word of last years Treaty has been changed despite what the establishment would have us believe. Assurances and guarantees have been given we are told but these assurances and guarantees are not legally binding and in respect to the "workers rights and social services" it is merely a political statement.

"The Free State will now keep their commissioner. Last time around we were told that they needed to cut the number of commissioners to streamline the EU. And the commissioner did nothing for the country they were from as they worked for the EU.
What advantage is a commissioner to us so. Even this is a grudging concession as the Free State can only 'make suggestions' as to who the commissioner would be. It is the commission president who will decide.

"The EU is attempting to give itself more powers. Already 80% of Free State law is subservient to EU law. This treaty takes the power to make laws in 49 policy areas and abolishes the national veto in 30 policy areas.

"It introduces a clause to give the Council of Ministers the right to extend its powers and it removes the requirement for any further extension of EU power to be voted on by referendum."

"The treaty will allow the EU to go to the UN and speak for the 27 countries of the EU. It will also allow it to negotiate and ratify internationally binding agreements.

"The new post of 'President of the European Council' and 'high representative for foreign affairs and security policy' is in effect a president and minister for foreign affairs of the EU. The people of EU will not vote for them but will be bound by them.
This is a serious erosion of the sovereignty of any nation state. The loss of national currency and control over interest rates has already weakened sovereignty. Now the loyalty of the citizen is no longer to the state, their country (or at least part of it) but to the higher body of the EU.

"In these times of recession the Free State is tied to borrowing cap by the European Central Bank of 3% of GOP. With so much money going to the banks, where will the money for social services come from.

"Make no mistake this treaty is a major leap towards a Unites States of Europe.
Lisbon allows a massive shift of power within the EU. As voting power is based on population size the big states get more power. This has been the case up to now but the smaller states held a disproportionate number of votes. So as they may have some say, this will change as the bigger states get more power, ie Germany's vote will go from 8% to 17%.

"The EU is vamping up its military capabilities. Lisbon calls on all states to 'progressively improve their military capabilities'. If the EU respects our neutrality, why in the grip of a recession must a neutral country increase spending on military hardware. The idea that you can be neutral while part of a military alliance is false. Much is made of the triple lock mechanism that relates to the deployment of Free State troops. But as we see with Free State troops in Afghanistan on a NATO mission this can be got around.

"We are told that Ireland needs the EU for jobs; that we need to pass the treaty to help us out of the financial crisis. If we insist on our decisions made through democratic free will then we will be shunned by the other countries."

Pádraig pointed out that this was not the first time the wishes of the people in referendum in the 26-Counties were ignored.

He went on to say: "To bring stability to Ireland we need to build the economy with the natural resources of the land and talents of the people, not give away our gas and allow our seas be plundered and now only fished by other EU boats."

Pádraig concluded: "Republican Sinn Féin sees the only way forward for the people of Ireland and the world is through a community of free nations with respect for each others boundaries and decisions. A nation that defends democracy, sovereignty and neutrality.

"Vote NO to Lisbon"

2009-09-27T02:31:00.000-07:00

Speech by Fergal Moore at the Eve of All-Ireland Rally, Dublin 2009.

We assemble today in O'Connell Street as Ireland is gripped by a period of economic instability the likes of which we have not seen for many a generation. James Connolly, who fought here, and Big Jim Larkin, whose statue stands behind me, would surely tell us 'we told you so'. Capitalism, that they spent their lives struggling against is shown up for the greedy, putrid and parasitical system that it is.

The gombeen men of Fianna Fáil have really outdone themselves this time. In order to facilitate their buddies who used to patronise the big tent in Galway they have promised 54 billion of tax payers money to cover their dodgy loans. This at a time when the health service is in tatters, schools are run down and there are over 400,000 on the dole in the 26 Counties alone. Republicans and economists had for years been telling Fianna Fáil that the property bubble could not last and that when it burst it would be the ordinary working people who would feel it the worst. We were labelled doom merchants and nay sayers. Bertie Ahern, the ultimate spiv, said that those who predicted the end of the bubble would be better off killing themselves. His hurtful remarks are all the more callous now as mortgage holders face years of negative equity, rising interest rates and unemployment.

It is no surprise that Fianna Fáil would rip off the Irish people to help the already super rich. This is the crowd who gave away our natural gas to Shell, who oversaw a system whereby land was rezoned willy nilly resulting in some areas having enough land zoned for residential purposes to do them for the next 40 or more years of predicted growth. This is the crowd who selected as ceann comhairle of Leinster House a man who spent 350,000 in three and a half years on expenses including flights and luxury hotels for his wife. Oblivious to the anger in the country they have foisted this NAMA on the workers to pay for the gambling debts of their big business friends.

The workers of Ireland do not need NAMA just as the workers do not need to be indebted for the equivalent of 10,000 euro for every man, woman and child in the country. What the workers need is justice. What the workers need is a guillotine here in O'Connell Street where they can watch the bloated, corrupt and thieving capitalists who have brought us to this go to their due reward.

Of course Fianna Fáil are not the only guilty ones in this. For over two years now they have been aided and abetted in their corruption and incompetence by the Greens. The Greens who have broken faith with their electorate time and again. Remember how before the election in 2007 they opposed the motorway through Tara and yet as soon as they got into power they showed themselves to be as power hungry and corrupt as the rest of them.

The lot of them have got to go. We are not talking about a few bad apples here, the whole barrel is spoiled. We must begin again with a new Ireland. The Irish people must be given the opportunity to create an Ireland where a man's worth is judged not by how much land his father left him or what politician he knows. Republican Sinn Fein, through our Éire Nua policy, envisage an Ireland free from cronyism, with local accountable democracy and where the worker is valued and not treated as some sort of commodity as he is in the EU.

Slowly the EU is turning from what was once a trading agreement between states into a super state to serve capitalist interests. The Lisbon Treaty, which was previously known as the EU Constitution, moves more power from Dublin and into Brussels. With weighted voting and the removal of the veto the larger states will be able to force their own desires on the rest. In effect we will be subservient to them. Germany, France, Britain, Spain and Italy are all former imperial powers who are well used to bossing other nations around. The Ancien Régime are the architects of the Lisbon Treaty and it serves their interests. Under Lisbon the EU will have a president unelected by the people and tellingly it will have a foreign minister pursuing a single foreign policy. At the same time member states are required to increase military spending. This at a time when there are soup kitchens in Dublin.

We in Republican Sinn Féin believe that Ireland should be free from foreign control whether that be control of the Six Counties by Westminster or control of the 26 by Brussels. The solution to our economic woes and our democratic deficit lies in the policy documents of Republican Sinn Féin; Éire Nua and Saol Nua. Following a British withdrawal from the 6 Counties the Irish people must decide for themselves how we will be governed. Republican Sinn Féin propose a federal Ireland based on the Republican and Socialist principles laid out in the Proclamation of 1916 and the Democratic Programme of the First Dáil of 1919. The gombeen men will be out of business and we will be masters of our own destinies free from foreign domination.

A No vote in the Lisbon referendum will ensure that those who have brought us to the brink of economic ruin will get the kicking that they deserve. Those who cheer loudest for Lisbon are the same ones who dreamed up NAMA. A strong No to Lisbon is as good as a No to Nama for we will not even get a chance to vote on that. I urge you, here in O'Connell Street where heroes fought and died for Irish Freedom, vote No to Lisbon.

An Phoblacht Abú.

Scandal of 2 Euro workers covered up

2009-09-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

THE scandal of Turkish workers being paid only two euro an hour for working on the Ennis Bypass has been covered up by the 26 County Administration in advance of the second vote on the Lisbon Treaty, a spokesman for Republican Sinn Fein said today.

Paddy Kenneally from Crusheen said that the findings of a court hearing into the scandal had never been made public.

The fact is the Turkish workers were only being paid two euro an hour and if this type of conduct is tolerated it spells a disastrous future for Irish construction workers, he said.

The company behind these appalling rates of pay was based in both Turkey and Germany and it flouted every rule and regulation of Irish construction employment.

The fact is there are hundreds of thousands of Turkish workers willing to work for low wages in the EU and this aspect of the current Lisbon Treaty is being hushed up and pushed under the carpet.

The question that must be asked is why the outcome of the case taken against the Turkish company by SIPTU was never made public by the courts?

Workers in Ireland deserve decent rates of pay and this Lisbon Treaty will adversely affect the rights of all workers by lowering standards and rates of pay. In order to protect Irish workers this Treaty must be rejected.

Ó Bradaigh warns of shift of power in EU

2009-09-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

MICHAEL O'REGAN

REPUBLICAN SINN FÉIN: THE LISBON Treaty would lead to the creation of a “united states of Europe’’, Republican Sinn Féin president Ruairí Ó Bradaigh warned yesterday.

He accused those on the Yes side of ignoring the issue.

“If people grasped the core of the whole question, they would be much more likely to vote No to Lisbon.’’ Lisbon meant more power to Brussels and less power to Ireland.

Mr Ó Bradaigh was speaking at a Dublin press conference where his party called for a No vote.

He claimed the treaty would radically shift control of the EU towards the big states by basing its law-making primarily on population size. “The right to veto harmful measures in more than 50 areas of policy will be lost. The arrangements proposed add up to a power-grab by the big states and the Brussels bureaucracy.’’

Prof K A Schachtschneider of the University of Nuremberg in Germany claimed the treaty was incompatible with the Irish Constitution. He said the referendum provided the Irish people with a last chance to defend freedom, equality, fraternity, democracy, the rule of law and social welfare provisions for all people in the EU.

“Without an Irish No, all people in Europe face exploitation, war and injustice. The Irish have the opportunity to save human dignity in Europe.’’

No to NAMA and No to Lisbon

2009-09-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

REPUBLICAN Sinn Féin strongly reject the introduction of NAMA and once again reject the Lisbon Treaty.

In introducing NAMA and forcing the Lisbon referendum upon the people, again shows that Fianna Fáil are not in control, this indeed points to the fact that it is Brussels that point the way forward for the 26 counties.

The administration in Leinster house headed by Fianna Fáil, are ramming legislation down the throats of the people, by doing so, they clearly show that they have no contempt or compassion for those suffering the most.

Republican Sinn Féin call for the rejection of the Lisbon treaty, by way of a second NO vote, and we send a clear message to Fianna Fáil that we reject the introduction of NAMA.

Des Dalton: Vote No to Lisbon Treaty

2009-09-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

Speech held by Des Dalton, Vice President of Republican Sinn Féin, on September 8th in Vienna, Austria. The public meeting entitled The Second Lisbon Referendum in Ireland was attended by about 200 people.

Having already rejected the Lisbon Treaty last year the people of Ireland are being forced to vote a second time. Rather than accept the vote of the people in the 2008 Referendum the Irish government instead chose to ignore that vote. At the bidding of the power brokers of Brussels they are forcing a second referendum – as they did with the Nice Treaty in 2003 – effectively they have sided with the EU political elite in opposition to their own people. The Lisbon Treaty was not renegotiated and consequently has not been altered in any way.

Their campaign is based on fear and disinformation all with the purpose of stampeding the people into a militarised United States of Europe.
The mainstream media are willing agents in this manufacturing of consent –to paraphrase US academic and campaigner Noam Chomsky – with little pretence of balance in providing space to those calling for a No vote.

There are six key points which are at the core of the argument for the rejection of Lisbon:

1. Leading Irish campaigner for a No vote Anthony Coughlan sums up clearly what the Lisbon Treaty means in practical terms: “The Lisbon provisions that would abolishes the old European Community which we (Ireland) joined in 1973, establishes a legally new European Union in the constitutional form of a supranational Federation and makes us all real citizens of this new state-like entity”.

The Lisbon Treaty will make people citizens of a Federal European Union. In cases of conflict Irish people’s rights and duties as citizens would be subordinate to their rights and duties of the new EU super-state with all its implications.

2. The Irish people are being asked to sign up to an EU state in which laws would be made primarily on the basis of population size. For instance Germany’s vote in making laws would increase from 8% to 17% of the total EU vote whilst that of the 26-County state would fall from 2% to 0.8%. This means that Germany would have 20 times the vote of the 26 Counties whilst Britain, France and Italy would have 15 times the vote.

3. The right of the 26-County state to “propose” its nominee as a member of the EU Commission – the body which has the monopoly of proposing all EU laws –would be replaced by the right to make “suggestions” only. The final decision would be made by the President of the EU Commission who would be appointed by the bigger states. This means replacing a bottom-up process of appointment by a top-down one.

4. The Lisbon Treaty would abolish the national veto which Ireland has at present in some 30 new policy areas by handing over to the EU power to make laws binding on Irish people in areas such as public services, policing, crime, justice, public health transport etc. The Lisbon Treaty is a charter for the neo-liberal economics which have caused the economic collapse we experience today. This will have serious consequences in two important aspects. Firstly in changes to the economic and monetary policy. The Lisbon Treaty along with provisions in existing treaties would substantially reduce the democratic control which citizens could have over measures taken to reduce budget deficits and borrowing requirements. In Ireland at present the government are at present sacrificing public services and the living standards of working people to save the banks. However public pressure and the mobilisation of people can change the government and the economic measures it takes.

For instance using major investment in public projects to halt the growth of unemployment and create new jobs. A neo-liberal EU Commission could use the powers given to it under Lisbon to force states to comply with its budgetary requirements. It would punish governments who would invest in education, health services and public transport. Instead ordinary people would pay for a capitalist crisis through cuts in services and living standards while endorsing – as the EU Commission already has – multi-billion bailouts for banks and speculators.

Regarding workers rights the European Court of Justice in a number of important judgements have sets the needs and priorities of the free markets above those of the rights pay and conditions of working people.

Two significant judgements were the Laval and Ruffert cases where the ECJ ruled that companies employing workers from EU state in another were entitled to pay significantly lower wages to its workers than those negotiated and agreed in the host state. It based this on the primacy under EU law of the free movement of goods, labour and capital. Despite claims that the ‘Charter of Fundamental Rights’ has been promoted as protecting the rights of workers. However Article 52 - the wording of which is based on the case law of the ECJ -of the Charter makes it clear that those rights –including the right to strike- “shall be exercised under the conditions and within the limits” of the Treaty of European Union and Community Treaties. In short there would be no new rights for workers under Lisbon but the rights promised would be subject to and inferior to the rights of employers and contractors to exploit their workers for lower pay and inferior conditions of employment.

5. Despite what we are told the sky will not come down on Ireland if we reject Lisbon for a second time. If there is a second No vote the Czech Republic and Poland will not ratify the Treaty. It may well be that Germany itself will not have ratified it by the time of the referendum.

6. Even without Lisbon EU miltarisation is a priority, the European Defence Agency is in reality a vehicle for the European arms industry to influence EU policy and
budgets. Representatives of two of Europe’s biggest arms manufacturers BAE and Thales were represented alongside senior politicians in a working group that drafted the security and defence clauses of the EU constitution.

The Lisbon Treaty enhances the political importance of the EDA. Article 28 mandates the agency to take “any useful measure” it views as necessary to “strengthen the industrial and technological base” of European defence. The agency is also given the job of helping EU governments to bolster the arms industry by monitoring their observance of commitments under Lisbon to increased spending on military equipment. In the Treaty these are referred to as “capability commitments.

As reported in the Sunday Business Post on August 16 the EU’s foreign policy think-tank the European Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) states that the EU needs “to build a twin robust civilian and military capacity” over the next decade. The EU’s High Representative – defacto Foreign Minister post-Lisbon – Javier Solana adds his weight to this “We must have the personnel and capabilities –both civilian and military-to back up these political ambitions”, Solana writes.

For what, we are entitled to ask, is this increased military force to be used? Is it to fight the “resource wars of the 21st Century” which the then President of the EU Commission Jacque Delors predicted in the early 1990s. To be used by the developed and rich north against the developing and poor south for possession of their natural resources.

This campaign is part and parcel of the struggle against imperialism. Just as we oppose British imperialism in Ireland we must also oppose the new imperialism of the EU. The purpose of the Lisbon Treaty/EU Constitution is to build an undemocratic, militarised and ultra-capitalist super-state. The Irish economist the late Raymond Crotty described the EU project as imperialism by other means.

Democracy works best in terms of accountability and involvement by the people in the democratic process at national level – Republican Sinn Fein advocates even further decentralisation right down to regional and local level. Bringing the power of decision making down to this level brings democracy alive and relevant to people.

Not only do we believe in democracy within nations but also between them.
As Irish Republicans we are also internationalists committed to building a community of free nations. In opposing the Lisbon Treaty we are not only upholding national democracy but also the ideal of international democracy and true solidarity between nations in defence of human rights.

Republican Sinn Féin takes as our touchstone the democratic principles of the 1916 Proclamation and we view the idea of a militarised and undemocratic EU States of Europe as a subversion of those principles. Stand up for the rights of workers, oppose militarisation and imperialism vote No to Lisbon II.