Ireland Voted "NO" to Lisbon

Prior to the Irish vote certain European politicians could not keep their mouths shut and appeared to be acting as bullies (maybe they thought that this was helpful). The problem is that they are now in denial and as a result they have forgotten about democracy and here are some comments from some rather important people:

Mr Barroso said he believed that other states should press ahead with the ratification process. "The no vote in Ireland has not solved the problems which the Lisbon Treaty is designed to solve," he said. "The ratification process is made up of 27 national processes. Eighteen member states have already approved the treaty and the European Commission believes that the remaining ratifications should continue to take their course."

In a joint statement, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France and Angela Merkel of Germany backed him, saying: "We take note of the democratic decision of the Irish citizens with all due respect, even though we regret it," adding that they "hope that the other member states will continue the process of ratification". 

Bear in mind that under the agreed rules the treaty cannot be implemented unless it is ratified by all 27 member stated so what is the point in proceeding unless they are planning to ignore today's rejection.

The treaty described by officials as a "necessary tidying up exercise" was an attempt to make the administration of the EU more efficient so it was really a document that only civil servants could understand. However here is an other explanation of what it was about:

The treaty would establish a legally new European Union, quite different from what we call the EU at present, with the constitutional form of a supranational Federal State that would be separate from and superior to its Member States, just as the USA is separate from and superior to California, Texas etc. It would do this in three key legal steps: (a) establishing a new European Union with its own legal personality and distinct corporate existence for the first time; (b) abolishing the distinction between the supranational and intergovernmental "pillars" of the two existing European Treaties, so that all powers of government can be exercised by the new Union, either actually or potentially, through a uniform constitutional structure; and (c) making us all real citizens of this new Union for the first time, rather than notional EU "citizens" as at present, for one can only be a citizen of a State. The treaty therefore amounts to an EU constitution in all but name.

As far as the Irish voter was concerned there are many problems and here are some of them:

French and Dutch voters have already rejected the introduction of an EU constitution.

Irish representation would be reduced under the Lisbon Treaty.

Ireland's veto to certain changes would be removed.

Ireland's neutrality would be compromised (when I was young "neutrality" was really code for anti-British but I am not sure what it means today)

France and Germany would be in a position to force Ireland to increase its very low rate of corporation tax (12.5%) to 30% or 40%. This was one claim that was put forward by Sinn Fein (the really funny bit was in increase in corporation tax was one of their policies in the last general election)

The pro-life lobby claimed that as abortion is considered to be nothing more than a 'service" the EU would eventually force us to change our laws relating to abortion.

Any or all of the objections could be valid but the problem is that there is no way for the politicians to determine what is the core problem which when resolved would permit an other referendum to be undertaken.