A significant shift in the Green Party position on the EU was signalled yesterday with Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan saying he was in favour of the new EU reform treaty, writes Miriam Donohoe, Political Staff
In the first public indication that the party intends to support Fianna Fáil on a treaty referendum next year, Mr Ryan, when asked if he was in favour of the treaty, said: "Yes, when you look at how the EU has benefited Ireland environmentally, but also economically and socially."
The Green Party has opposed every European treaty since Ireland joined the then EEC in 1973 and campaigned against the Nice Treaty in two referendums. The matter did not register during this year's general election campaign.
Asked about the party's position on the treaty, a Green Party spokesman said that would be decided by the members on a vote. Party members are expected to vote on whether or not it supports the treaty at the party's annual convention, due to be held next month and an intense internal debate will take place between now and then.
A spokesman for the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said Mr Ahern welcomed Mr Ryan's comments, adding that the treaty was very important for Ireland. The spokesman said he could not comment on whether the treaty issue formed part of the government negotiations. European leaders are due to sign off on the new reform treaty on October 18th.
The Government plans to hold a referendum next summer and the deadline for ratification across the member states is Spring 2009.
Last night former Green Party MEP, Patricia McKenna, said she would be opposing the treaty and said the "no" campaign within the party will be swinging into action in the coming weeks.
She said in her view one of the reasons the Taoiseach brought the Greens into Government was to neutralise opposition to the treaty. "It would be very difficult for the Greens in Government to oppose something that the Government is promoting" she said. Ms McKenna opposed the party decision to go into coalition with Fianna Fáil.
Questioned at an Association of European Journalists lunch in Dublin Mr Ryan said while the Green Party has been critical, "and rightly critical in the past", about aspects of the union it is a "great example of international co-operation that we have benefited from".
Asked about defence implications in a new treaty and what has changed from the last referendum, Mr Ryan said a number of aspects have changed and there would be internal party debate to "tease out what the implications are . . . but fundamentally I think the question is, is Ireland going to be part of a progressive international movement? And in my mind the answer to that, personally, is 'yes'. I think we should ensure it leads to a certain direction in a whole range of areas, defence included".
However, during his address Mr Ryan said the Charter of Fundamental Rights which accompanies the EU reform treaty, is something the Green Party will insist upon.
"It must be legally binding . . . There can be no question of seeking to exercise an opt-out which we would effectively see as an opt-out from the entire process."
He added: "On our fundamental rights if we have to make a choice between Boston and Berlin, then the Green Party looks to Berlin."
Asked if he believed that Ireland should follow Britain by opting out of judicial and police matters, Mr Ryan said he would listen to discussion on the issue. He said while on the one hand he did not see opt-outs on justice and home affairs as a significant problem generally, he could see potential difficulties for Ireland if the UK opted out of sharing sovereignty on these issues.
Mr Ryan said while the Greens have been stridently critical of aspects of "Brussels' machinations" its criticisms should never be confused with "euro-scepticism" or "euro-phobia, even if on occasions in the past our stance on EU issues has been traduced and misrepresented in this fashion".
As the Green Party opens its internal debate he said he would like to see it being used to advance issues such as climate change.