Lisbon, the Waterloo of the EU?
Is the Lisbon Treaty the straw that broke the EU's back. Was Nice II the high-water mark of Ireland's enthusiasm for the EU project?
I was not shocked by the high no vote in Mayo as I had encountered the electorate and had an idea that Mayo would vote NO. I was told by dozens of voters that they would be voting NO but I did expect it to be passed nationally.
That's democracy for you and it is back to the drawing board for the EU. YES OR NO I think we are all glad that's it is all over and we can go back to enjoying the sunshine and focusing on our own problems with our economy, health service, fuel prices, unemployment, tax shortfalls etc etc etc!
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I voted no because we are losing our independence and because I have concerns about mass-immigration. My mother informed me that all her neighbours were voting no because of the latter. It isn't racism - we are not blaming the immigrants but rather we are blaming the govt for pursuing a policy of refusing to regulate immigration and refusing to enforce labour standards. We have thousands of social welfare inspectors to crack down on fraud, but barely 100 labour-inspectors. The Irish vote is halved on the Council of Ministers while the German, French, British and Italian votes are doubled. My biggest single concern was the self-amending provisions of Article 48, which could allow the govt getting around the need for referenda using the so-called 'simplified ratification procedure'. Finally, I was concerned by the loss of the Commissioner, the new voting system, and particularly the Charter of Fundamental Rights allowing the ECJ to supersede human rights rulings of the Irish Supreme Court. BTW I voted yes to Nice I and II and Amsterdam.
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