Madam, - Declan Ganley of Libertas (February 29th) claims to be an enthusiastic supporter of the EU. Yet his letter is peppered with negatives about the EU.
There is not enough space here to respond to each of the unfounded assertions he makes about the EU Reform Treaty and I will confine myself to just two issues.
First, he claims that Article 2.158 of the Reform Treaty, relating to the Common Commercial Policy, will undermine our capacity to attract foreign investment. This particular article deals with the Union's external trade relationships and could not be used to interfere with the internal activities of EU member-states in seeking to attract foreign direct investment.
As an additional protection, the article provides that the Council shall act unanimously where any such external agreement might include provisions for which unanimity is required for the adoption of internal rules. The suggestion that we would have to accept something which damages our interests is, simply, false.
Second, Mr Ganley argues that the Reform Treaty is somehow going to pave the way for a common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB). The treaty has no relevance whatever in the field of taxation. Decisions on taxation also must be unanimous.
Should the EU Commission make a proposal for a CCCTB at any future date, this can be blocked by Ireland or by any other member-state. This will continue to be the case under the treaties as they currently stand and under the Reform Treaty once it is ratified.
The taxation issue is yet another red herring aimed at masking the reality that Ireland's economic interests will be best served by saying "Yes" to the Reform Treaty and thus enabling active membership of an effective Union to continue underpinning our national prosperity in the years ahead. - Yours, etc,
MICHEÁL MARTIN TD,
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment,
Kildare Street,
Dublin 2.