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…

Pro-EU but Anti-Lisbon: You’re wrong, Brian Cowen, wrong.

Brian Cowen said today that the people who are opposing the Lisbon Treaty are anti-EU.

Well, Brian, I’m pro-EU. Very much. And oppose Lisbon. Also very much. So, you’re wrong.

The EU was originally designed to be a group of nations sharing power on matters of common interest, acting unanimously.

The Lisbon Treaty makes the EU a federal entity, where majority voting applies, and each country has votes weighted by population. It’s a fundamental change to how the EU works.

For me, there is two ways the EU can go. It can become a federal superstate, a United States of Europe in effect, which should be totally democratic – we should be able to vote for those who run the EU in the same way Americans vote for their federal government. OR, the EU can stay as a group of nations acting together, but in deference to the increased size of the EU, recognise that not every nation will want to take part in every measure, and allow nations to opt-out of individual laws.

In effect, the latter is pretty close to the way the EU is now. For example, Ireland and Britain have opted-out of the Schengen passport-free borders scheme. Britain have opted out of the Euro. Iceland and Norway are in NATO, but not the EU. We are in the EU, but not NATO. Then there’s the Prum police information sharing agreement…we have 4 or 5 different overlapping agreements within and outside the EU, but all within Europe, that different countries are in. Why can’t we stick with something like that?

The federal EU is not something I would like to see personally, but at least it would work, like the US does.

But Lisbon creates an EU that is neither one nor the other. It’s like a federal EU in that votes are by majority, yet the votes are by governments rather than people or elected representatives of the people. The EU Parliament can’t pass a law unless it’s been given to them by the unelected EU Commission – on which only 2/3 of nations will be represented at any time. It would have all the powers of the US federal government – but most europeans won’t ever get to vote for members of the EU council, and will definitely not vote people onto the appointed EU Commission. It will be a federal government without the democracy, and that I cannot support.

I also find it ironic that a Treaty which proponents say will make the EU more democratic, is not being put to a referendum in any EU country except Ireland…and in some cases, it’s not being put to a referendum because the governments know they would lose. France, for example. Where, along with Holland, the original and more readable version of this Treaty was rejected in a referendum. I’m sorry, but it’s downright undemocratic to take a NO vote, and then simply refuse to put it to a referendum next time because it would lose.

And with majority voting weighted by population, it’s entirely possible that Ireland could oppose every single EU measure and yet still end up on the losing side of the votes, every time. Our only avenue then would be to leave the EU, and that would be a disaster, or stay in and be uncomfortable. Not a nice choice.

I’m not scaremongering. I haven’t mentioned tax, neutrality, military spending, or the other issues that some people are trying to scare people with. I’m talking just about how the EU works. The EU cannot be a group of nations acting unanimously where it is of benefit to all, if decisions are taken by majority vote weighted by population. It’s neither one thing nor the other, and it’s not a good way to run anything. So I’m voting no, and hoping for a real debate on what we want the EU to be in the future. And I hope you will vote NO too.

Brian Cowen’s Language

I heard Brian Cowen on the radio today, trying to excuse himself for swearing in the Dáil. Who knows who he was referring to? Fine Gael? Libertas? Some group of civil servants? Anyway, I was surprised to hear that he swore in the first place. I would think that someone who has been in the Dáil for so long, and who is now Taoiseach, would have more respect for the Dáil. Especially since his government last week unveiled a broadcasting bill that would come down heavily on swearing on the radio. I think it was conduct unbecoming of the Taoiseach and he should be ashamed.

But he’s not. In the interview this morning, he said that he withdraws the comment, and is happy to do so, but then he started complaining about the number of times Fine Gael interrupted him, as if that was a bigger issue. He didn’t sound contrite, he didn’t sound like he was apologising, he sounded like he felt he was being unfairly attacked. He sounded petulent and whingy.

It’s only a small issue – I have no problem with swearing, on the radio or anything, but this isn’t about swearing, it’s about respect and attitude. And on that, I’m disappointed in the Taoiseach. What he does in office is of course much more important, but since respect and attitude are a guide to personality, it’s not a good start.