Madam, - EU Commissioner Charlie McCreevy believes our failure to endorse the EU Constitution/Lisbon Treaty would make us the laughing stock of Europe. He shouldn't worry too much: if our European neighbours are not laughing already at the parade of politicians through our tribunals they are unlikely to see the humour in Ireland's inevitable rejection of this ill-timed and unwise initiative.
As someone who had direct dealings with the European Commission ahead of the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the EU, I experienced at first hand the manner in which that body swept serious human rights abuses under the carpet in order to speed these two very unready countries into the Union. The extent of the problems in Romania's state care institutions was grossly understated so that country could be helped through the accession process while trampling over basic human rights, including covering up such abuses as the use of captive slave labour.
Worryingly, the same Commission staff are now involved in the accession process for the Balkan states. Can we look forward to a similar glossing-over of human rights problems in those countries too in the race to further expand the EU? So, would I vote for a treaty that seeks to give further powers to these unelected groups who have shown themselves as being answerable to nobody? Of course not, and I would recommend that voters reject this proposal until such time as the Commission becomes answerable to the democratic process. - Yours, etc,
JOHN MULLIGAN, Chairman, Focus on Romania, Kirkfield Cottages, Dublin 15.
Madam ,- Raymond Deane's desktop dictionary diplomacy and name-calling notwithstanding (December 15th), there is nothing whatsoever within the proposed Lisbon Treaty that might require, force or otherwise oblige the Irish Government to improve its military capacity against its will. Full Stop. - Yours, etc,
BEN TONRA, Jean Monnet Professor of European Foreign and Security Policy, UCD College of Human Sciences, Dublin 4.
Madam, - Barra Roantree (December 15th) ascribes many things to the "leaders of the EU". Last time I checked, the ratification process of EU treaties is solely a matter for member-states. He then goes on to discuss the internal politics of some member-states. What business of his or ours is this? Imagine if those states were telling us how to ratify!
How interesting it is that he concludes by saying the treaty should be rejected "regardless of [its] content". Of course it is the content that we will vote on, not the internal politics of other member-states. Maybe we could focus more on this content in future. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL McLOUGHLIN, Riverwood Heath,Castleknock, Dublin 15.
Madam, - The Taoiseach thinks an Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty would mean "we would cut ourselves apart from Europe" (December 14th). Not at all: we could just add on a couple of essentially meaningless declarations, and vote again.
Wouldn't it be easier if we just had an old Soviet-style ballot paper, with only one option to "choose" from, in the first place? - Yours, etc,
MARK ONIONS, Borris Little, Portlaoise, Co Laois.
Madam, - In your edition of December 14th, the article written by Mr Ahern is subtitled: "The Lisbon treaty is the daughter of the rejected EU constitution and should be supported". So Ireland is to vote Yes to the daughter after France and the Netherlands democratically rejected the mother! - Yours, etc,
LUKE CAHILL, Stillorgan Road, Foxrock, Dublin 18.
Madam, - France and the Netherlands rejected the EU constitution in their referendums of June, 2005. Did that rejection cut them adrift as Mr Ahern claims a No vote in our forthcoming referendum would do to us?
It simply is not true to say that "we would cut ourselves apart from Europe and put ourselves apart from being a part of the decision-making process", or that "there is no sector of Irish society that would not be dramatically affected in a negative way if we vote No". I hope we can have a rational debate on the issues raised by this treaty and that we can avoid this kind of emotional claptrap. - Yours, etc,
KENNEDY P. O'BRIEN S.J., Gonzaga College, Sandford Road, Dublin 6.