More Lisbon Aftermath

So we’re being given until November to “sort out the problems for Europe that we have created”.

First reaction: Lisbon was supposed to come into effect in January, so is this an effective admission that it’s dead? I hope so.

Second reaction: Ireland did not create this problem. The problem was created by the EU leaders who tried to ram through a Treaty that had already been rejected in two referenda, in an incomprehensible form so that the people would not understand what was being forced on them, and without listening to what the people of Europe wanted. The problem was created by EU leaders who expanded the EU too far, too fast, before considering how the EU institutions could work in an expanded EU.

My message to Brian Cowen, Enda Kenny, Eamon Gilmore, and John Gormley: go to the EU and tell them to come back with a Treaty that is in the format of the original Constitution (i.e. not a huge list of amendments, but one readable document) which places democracy at the heart of all EU decision-making, which does not treat smaller states as add-ons to the EU, and which allows us to keep a firm control over areas which are best handled at national government or local government level in Ireland. Do that, and I’ll work day and night for a yes vote.

I’m not a Eurosceptic; I think the EU is a great idea, it’s been great for Ireland and the Irish people, and for most everyone in the EU. And it could be great for the new accession states too. The EU, after all, is not a thing in itself; it’s made up of national governments, and is only as good as the people in those governments and the rules of the club. It will only be as good in the future as it has been until now if it is based on the fundamental principles of democracy, and subsidiarity (i.e. decision-making at the lowest effective level).

Shot-Put

Has there ever been a more pointless “sport”? I mean seriously, it’s worse than Cricket or American Football. “Look at me, I can twiddle around like a prat in this circle before pushing this heavy ball away from me, woooo!”. And have you seen the people that do it in the Olympics? Can’t imagine they get much action! Sounds like a lot of pain for no reward to me. And what’s the point? Seriously? Where did it come from? I mean, let’s see who can run the fastest, jump the longest and the highest, that I can understand. Even the javelin, well, that obviously comes from throwing spears at the enemy in ancient times. But the shot? I dunno, I mean if the ancient Greeks were throwing heavy balls at the enemy, if the enemy was close enough, by the time the thrower had twiddled around like a super-heavy ballerina on speed and pushed the thing away, he (or she) would have been run through with a spear. And if it was some kind of bomb, it would be pretty useless, cos it would have to be pretty weak to avoid blowing up the thrower. I just can’t see the point.

Same goes for the triple jump. “ooh, let’s see who can jump the longest if we let them put their foot down twice in the middle of the jump!”. I mean why not the double jump? Or the quadruple jump? I mean seriously!

Rant over.

Lisbon - the aftermath

Well, I won. Or was on the winning side anyway. I did a lot of work on the No campaign in the last couple of weeks, canvassing almost constantly, leafleting etc. Last Thursday night I could hardly sleep with the tension, but that turned to elation on Friday morning as I saw the tallies coming in.

My first reaction is that it proves the old saying - I’m not sure who said it, but it’s famous: “Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world; it’s the only thing that ever has”. There can’t have been too many people involved in the No campaign, and we have changed the EU. That’s no small thing. It was a great day for democracy, and I believe a great day for the EU.

My second reaction is utter disappointment. This is directed to both the leaders of the EU, and our own Government. The official result hadn’t even been announced, and EU Commission President Barroso was telling other countries to continue ratification. Other leaders said the EU countries who ratify the Treaty should move ahead with it, and that Ireland could negotiate a new accession Treaty. Others, like the British, said it was Ireland’s problem, and that they would continue. And Brian Cowen, John Gormley (who certainly isn’t acting like his Party is neutral on this) and others in our government said we had created a crisis for the EU. Worst was the German who said that “a minority of a minority” could not be allowed to hold up the 500 million people in the EU. He completely missed the irony in saying that, given that we were the only EU country to have a referendum, despite the previous rejection of the nearly identical Constitution by France and Holland in referenda.

If the EU wants to be taken seriously, it needs to be based on the fundamental principles of democracy. That means the people have the final say. It certainly does not mean that you try to squirm around the result of the only referendum held on the Lisbon Treaty. The contempt which the EU and European Governments have shown for the Irish referendum result unequivocally confirms the fears of the No campaigners, that they have no interest in democracy, only doing what they think needs done.

In a democracy, sometimes the other people win. That’s something those EU and European leaders need to reflect on.

Brian Cowen needs to go to the EU and tell them that we need a new Treaty, which bases the EU on consensus powersharing, accountability, transparency, and democracy. I fear that he is too arrogant to do that.

ANOTHER Fianna Fáil TD drives drunk - RESIGN Christy O’Sullivan

I couldn’t believe it when I heard it today.

Not content with having a former Cabinet Minister, Jim McDaid, caught previously, yet another Fianna Fáil TD - Cork South West TD Christy O’Sullivan - has been found to be driving while drunk.

Even worse, his so-called-apology expressed sympathy to the people of rural Ireland, saying he now understands the problems they have with the drink/driving laws.  Incitement or what?

And this from a Government party which is intent on cracking down on teenage drinking and youth binge drinking?

There’s only one thing Christy O’Sullivan can honourably do here. And that is apologise profusely, and resign. Now.

I’m Back!

I’ve been away for a week leading a fieldtrip and marking the results (I work at a university). Fun, as I’m sure you can imagine. Anyway.

I had to spend this morning in hospital, in UCHG. Fourth time in as many months - still another test result to wait for. They think there’s nothing seriously wrong with me, at least not my heart - now they question my thyroid or something. I’m not quite sure what that is, eve, I should probably look it up.

I mention this purely for one reason. There’s been a lot of fuss in the media about the health service, and I’m sure I’ve bashed it enough myself, and will again. And I just want to be absolutely clear when I say that the treatment and care I have recieved in UCHG has been top class. The people working there are just fantastic, and they are doing it under so much pressure and without enough resources. I have nothing but praise for the health service staff I’ve dealt with there.

The problems in our health service are at the top level administration, not the people working to help patients. That’s all.

Just One…

There really isn’t any such thing as going out for “just one” in Ireland, is there?

Lisbon Treaty - No-one in the Government has read it!

I’m shocked to hear that neither the Taoiseach nor the Tánaiste has read the Lisbon Treaty, yet they urge us to support it. The Tánaiste in particular made a right fool of herself by saying that large countries had more than one EU Commissioner, which in fairness used to be true, but not for several years. And now we hear that Ireland’s current EU Commissioner, Charlie McCreevy, hasn’t read the Treaty either.

Has anyone in the Government read the Treaty? If not, how do they expect us to support something they can’t even read? It’s so ridiculous, would be funny if it wasn’t so serious.

Charlie McCreevy on the Galway Races Tent

Fianna Fáil announced last night that they were stopping the tradition of having a fundraising tent at the Galway Races. Responding to the announcement, Charlie McCreevy “said he had found the tent to be a pain in the arse, adding that he was allowed to use such language as it had been sanctioned by the Taoiseach.” (from RTÉ.ie)

Funny man

Young people, drugs, and alcohol

There’s a new study by a researcher at UCD out today which shows that 50% of 15-19 year olds have used drugs, and a massive 86% drink alcohol.

I’m not surprised by this at all, and anyone who is surprised, quite frankly, needs to get out more.

This issue is a bit of a personal fixation of mine, particularly in the context of government efforts to try and reduce the numbers of young people drinking. It really bugs me that all the government ever tries to do is reduce the availability of alcohol across the board, or increase the price.

As I told Matt Cooper (The Last Word, Today FM) back in January, prohibition does not work, and any efforts based on increasing price and reducing availability will not work. Today’s study showing that 86% of young people drink, with 13 being the average age for starting, and drinking 6 pints at a go on average, definitively backs up  what i have been saying.

I hope the new Minister for Justice takes this on board, and realises that making off-licences close an hour earlier and having alcohol in separate areas of shops won’t do anything to stop young people drinking. And if somehow they manage to stop young people from getting drink, they can easily get drugs instead. It’s time for the Government to have a look at the real world.

If they are really serious about tackling this issue (which they absolutely should be) then they need to takle the underlying factors which cause young people to want to binge drink or take drugs in the first place. Here’s a few ideas to start: ban alcohol advertising of sports. Get serious about providing youth facilities. And set a better example - anyone remember when Fianna Fáil (then) cabinet Minister Jim McDaid was caught driving extremely drunk the wrong way down the Naas dual carriageway? Not exactly a role model, eh? We could even suggest - shock horror - that parents don’t drink so much in front of their children? You can’t solve every issue by repeatedly throwing legislation at it, and with this issue in particular, there’s a huge element of personal and parental responsibility involved. And you can’t legislate for that.

Express Aisle in Supermarkets

Why do people insist on using the Express aisle when they have about 30 things crammed into a shopping basket? Seriously irritating…