Meath Ógra Shinn Féin Lisbon campaign launched

Meath Ógra Shinn Féin launched the ‘No to Lisbon Campaign’ in Navan on Saturday. At the launch Cllr Tóibín stated “Sinn Féin have been door to door canvassing for the last 10 days and I can tell you that the people of Meath are angry. They are angry that this government is wasting millions rerunning a referendum that the people have all ready rejected and at the same time will not see fit to give people a referendum on NAMA, the biggest gamble with taxpayers money in the history of the state’. ‘This week the government revealed the detail of its plan to bail out the Banks and the Developers with €54 billion of taxpayers’ money. They have created NAMA for the rich while there is no NAMA for ordinary citizens. This is grossly unfair. The government whose policies played a significant part in bringing this state to the point of bankruptcy and which failed to renegotiate the Lisbon Treaty are asking people to trust it. We have been canvassing people throughout this county I can tell you that people do not trust FF or the Greens one bit.

‘What we have from the yes side is a number of bland generalities that have nothing got to do with the treaty. They say that Lisbon is good for jobs and good for the economy. Interestingly the Wall Street Journal, the bible of big business, declared that these pronouncements were ‘patent absurdities’ and are ‘peddling phantom terrors’. In contrast Sinn Féin’s campaign is aimed at highlighting the content of the Lisbon Treaty and its implications for Ireland and the EU.

‘Lisbon equals lower wages: In recent years the European Commission has enacted policies and the European Court of Justice has made judgments that have the effect of driving down wages. The Protocol on the Internal Market and Competition contained in the Lisbon Treaty provides both the Commission and the Court with an even stronger mandate to undermine workers pay and conditions.

‘Lisbon equals less power for Ireland: The Council of Ministers is supposed to be where European countries meet as equals. Not so. Article 6 of the Lisbon Treaty changes the way in which key decisions at the Council of Ministers are taken. Irelands voting strength would be reduced to 0.8% while Germany’s would increase to 17% and Britain’s would increase to 12%.

‘Lisbon equals more military spending: Article 25 and 28 contain four separate obligations on military spending. Article 28(c)(3) states ‘Member States shall make civilian and military capabilities available to the Union for the implementation of the common security and defence policy.’ The same article also states ‘member states shall undertake progressively to improve their military capabilities’. In addition Article 25b(d)(3) states ‘The Council shall adopt a decision establishing the specific procedures for guaranteeing rapid access to appropriations in the Union budget for urgent financing of initiatives in the framework of the common foreign and security policy.’ While Article 25(d)(3)(TEU) states Preparatory activities... which are not charged to the Union budget shall be financed by a start-up fund made up of Member State’s contributions....”