LISBON TREATY:THOSE URGING a rejection of the Lisbon Treaty for a second time are being reckless with the State's future, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said last night.
Addressing an Ibec meeting, the Minister said he was satisfied a package of guarantees enabling Ireland to ratify the treaty would soon be put in place.
“I see ratification of the treaty as something that is necessary if we are to secure our place at the heart of the EU. There are those who will argue that we can be good Europeans while at the same time declining to ratify Lisbon. I am afraid that this does not stand up to scrutiny,” said Mr Martin.
He added that the EU was a body founded on consensus, and when difficulties arose, solutions were found through that mechanism.
“In our case, the member states have taken account of our referendum result. They have listened to our concerns and offered us a range of concessions. If, on the back of these concessions, we decide that we do not want to ratify Lisbon, this will be interpreted as a sign that we are unable to join the EU-wide consensus about the future of the union.
“This would be damaging to our international reputation and our economic prospects. Those who would urge us to go down that isolationist route are being reckless with our country’s future,” said the Minister.
He added that this was something the Irish people clearly did not want, as only 10 per cent believed we should not remain fully involved in the EU, and that provided a solid foundation on which the people could be consulted again.
“Recent opinion polls have certainly been encouraging in this regard, but there are absolutely no grounds for complacency. We have a lot to do and we are determined to spare no effort in convincing people that the package of measures we are now negotiating is in our best interests and that we should join our 26 fellow EU members in ratifying this treaty.”
Mr Martin said that the 11 months since the referendum had been very eventful and the world was now radically different from last June.
“If ever there was a time for Ireland to unequivocally confirm our commitment to the European Union, this is that time. Our future wellbeing requires that we copper-fasten our position at the heart of the European Union,” he said.
He said Ireland’s position within the EU and the euro zone had been an invaluable asset.
“By virtue of our euro zone membership, we have had access to remarkable amounts of liquidity which the ECB has made available to our financial system,” said Mr Martin, adding that the EU stimulus package would make €110 million available to Ireland for an electricity interconnector with Britain.
