LEAFLET:THE EUROPEAN Commission has been accused of wasting taxpayers' money by circulating a pro-Lisbon Treaty supplement with Sunday newspapers.
Former MEP and chairwoman of the People’s Movement Patricia McKenna said the commission had placed “a 16-page propaganda supplement” in all Irish newspapers as a paid insert. “This is an unlawful use of European taxpayers’ money, since the European Commission has no competence whatever in the ratification of treaties. It is also in breach of Irish law and the principles of the McKenna judgment as established by the Supreme Court in 1995 whereby taxpayers’ money cannot be used to promote one side in a referendum campaign.”
Ms McKenna said the supplement also raised legitimate concerns about the conduct of the referendum campaign and to what extent newspapers and other media outlets had been influenced by advertising revenue.
“The EU Commission, with the massive funds and resources available to it, courtesy of the taxpayer, can influence Irish opinion prior to the vote if they can get away with it, and I believe that the Minister in charge of this referendum, Minister for the Environment John Gormley, should investigate the matter without delay.”
Ms McKenna said she had no prior knowledge of the publication. She would seek legal advice, although the damage had been done. “At the very least, I hope we can force the individual commissioners to reimburse the taxpayer from their own well-filled wallets.”
A commission spokeswoman said it had a duty to inform people about the treaty. “The commission has provided information in an understandable form,” she said.
