Sir, - If you ask a silly question you get a silly answer - or none.
The Nice Treaty has 90 pages of involved proposals in technical language, with cross-references to other treaties. Directly contradictory statements on its content and of facts were published. Not surprisingly, an overwhelming two thirds of the electorate said nothing. So about 14 per cent of the electorate (about 0.1 per cent of the proposed Union) voted against. The margin, 76,017 votes, was infinitesimal. This is claimed to be "the democratic will of the people". This way lies chaos.
The present confusion will be settled somehow. The whole European project would be halted if we make a habit of blocking developments by repeated referendums.
Future referendums must:
1. Must be on one, or very few, clear propositions;
2. Decision must be based on sufficient votes to indicate the actual will of the people. - Yours, etc.,
Louis Smith, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.