Irish people say no to EU power grab

national | eu | press release Friday June 13, 2008 19:54 by Des Dalton - Republican Sinn Fein saoirse at iol dot ie 223 Parnell St Dublin 1 01 8729747

Republican Sinn Fein Vice President Des Dalton says the no vote is a rejection of an EU superstate.

The Irish people have clearly and unequivocally said no to a power grab by the EU political elite by their rejection of the Lisbon Treaty/EU Constitution. The clear message given by the Irish people is that they reject the construction of an undemocratic EU superstate. The people have spoken and must not be ignored unlike the first Nice referendum in the 26 Counties or the French and Dutch referenda in 2005 which rejected the EU Constitution – the Lisbon Treaty and the EU Constitution are 96% the same document.

A clear marker has been laid down to the Dublin and Brussels political establishments. The Irish people are not prepared to give over more power to an institution which they do not elect and which is not accountable to them. Three times in three years the people of three states have now said no to a militarised and unaccountable EU superstate.

What also emerges from the referendum result is that a gulf has grown between the Dublin political establishment and the mass of the people. The line taken by the main 26-County political parties throughout the referendum campaign was that people need not understand the Lisbon Treaty or its implications but merely trust them in recommending its acceptance. The resounding rejection of Lisbon shows the people do not trust them.