Madam, - I am a committed supporter of the European Community. I have supported every European treaty put before us for ratification since I attained the vote.
But I am disturbed that Minister for European Affairs Dick Roche, among others, spends so much time attacking the No side in this debate - a classic tactic when your own arguments are very weak. I have reached the sad conclusion, as a committed European, that he is engaging in this tactic because there are no real benefits to Ireland or the EU from this treaty.
I will vote No, because I have not been given any convincing reason to vote Yes. Shame on the Government for either trying to hoodwink us with a bad treaty, or not having the competence to explain it clearly to us. - Yours, etc,
LIAM MAC AINDRIU,
Belmullet,
Co Mayo.
Madam, - Mary Lou McDonald (Opinion & Analysis, April 29th), repeats the view that the proposal in the Lisbon Treaty that each EU member-state will have a national serving as a commissioner for 10 years in every 15 is a weakening of Irish representation.
The Commission is an independent EU institution charged with representing the common interests of the Union. The Commissioners are not national representatives and take an oath of office which precludes them from so acting.
This misrepresentation, along with her reference to "Irish representatives" on the Commission show that, besides the Lisbon Treaty, she has yet to master the back catalogue. - Yours, etc,
NEAL LAMB,
The Rise,
Mount Merrion,
Co Dublin.
Madam, - Who are the unelected officials to whom Mary Lou McDonald refers? All EU decisions are taken by elected people in the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. How could this fact slip the mind of an MEP?
The new clause in the Lisbon Treaty on "Services of General Economic Interest" seems to have slipped her mind also, along with the provisions for unanimity in all major issues of security and defence and the recognition of member-states' specific policies in this area.
Sinn Féin seems a bit confused about the number of issues moving to qualified majority voting. Is it 68, as now claimed, or the 105 mentioned in their literature, or the 34 that the Schuman Foundation outlines (minus the six on which we have opt-outs)?
Ms McDonald is quite wrong on how decisions move to Qualified Majority Voting; this can only be done by unanimity. There is no proposal for harmonisation of taxes; and article 113 to which she refers, is also decided by unanimity and enhanced co-operation cannot be used against those outside such co-operation.
The European Defence Agency deals with procurement, efficiency and value for money. It costs us about €300,000 a year, or less than the cost of two Sinn Féin MEPs.
Our triple-lock does apply to EU missions, there is a UN mandate for the Chad mission, there was not one for Macedonia and we didn't participate.
Perhaps Sinn Féin could tell us which of the 21 missions approved to date by the EU it disagrees with? - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL McLOUGHLIN,
Area Representative,
Labour Party,
Dunboyne,
Co Meath.