TCD meeting on No! 2 Lisbon a great success.

The appearance of Tony Benn in Trinity College Dublin on Tuesday night was a massive success. Attended by a broad spectrum of people including the representatives of the Union movement , the Labour party as well as many Sinn Féin activists.


The meeting chaired by cumann member Muireann Meehan Speed and also addressed by Sinn Féin's Eoin O Broin saw Mr Benn (83) speak of his re-collections of his time on the Council of Minsters during the 1970s and his concerns surrounding the democratic deficit that exists in Europe that the Lisbon Treaty fails to address.

Urging those present to vote No given the right wing agenda being furthered by the Treaty, Benn said 'It's a democratic argument, it isn't anti-European at all. This idea that if you vote No your anti European if you vote No is rubbish. When Thatcher was prime minister I wasn't anti- British. I'm not anti- American because Bush is there. It's a question of what sort of Europe we want.'

Mr Benn described the provision for an unelected President and Foreign minister as undemocratic. The lack of democracy at the centre of the European Union as it currently exists will continue to be perpetuated under the Lisbon Treaty.

Eoin O Broin's contributions added greatly to the debate especially when addressing points made around the treaties Article 48 and the Crotty judgement in response to a question from a Labour representative.

Cumann cathaoirleach Caoimhe Ní Mhuilleoir said 'It was an honour for the Uí Chadhain/ Tone cumann to host Tony Benn. He is a hero for many on the left and his insistence that the failure of the Lisbon Treaty is the only way that we can truly reform the nature of the European project has given the No campaign renewed impetus and determination.'