A chara, - With the setting of the date for the Amsterdam treaty referendum for May 22nd, it is worth noting that a recent survey of European issues suggested that, while Irish people support the concept of being part of Europe, they are the least informed about European legislation. This comes as no surprise as there has been a complete lack of any real debate on Europe, especially on the vital question of Irish neutrality. This has meant that the Irish public are unaware of what is being done in their names behind closed doors in Brussels and Strasbourg.
The signing of the Amsterdam Treaty received minimal media coverage in Ireland. Even less was heard about the profound implications for Irish sovereignty and neutrality. For many years now the process of EU integration has been steadily eroding our sovereignty and neutrality. At each stage successive governments have given a little more away. On the few occasions when they were forced to come to the people to seek approval for the latest abandonment of our rights, they have assured us that nothing would really change. They are saying the same thing this time. Yet the reality is very different. The text of the Amsterdam Treaty reiterates the EU's "common foreign and security policy" and "the progressive framing of a common defence policy". Common defence against who or what? It neglects to say.
The job of all democrats in the coming weeks is to ensure that the Amsterdam Treaty is fully debated so people know what is being decided on May 22nd. We need to halt the ongoing erosion of our neutrality and instead make it a positive expression of the way we want to run our country and our foreign policy in the new millennium. - Is mise, Sean Crowe,
Raithein,
Tamhlacht,
Baile Atha Cliath 24.