Zooropa

A preliminary or two :
First up, it’s sad to witness some of the upsetting, cruel (and very surprising) vitriol issuing forth on this thread :( and one would hope that with the benefit of a mature, less heated reflection a more temperate, apologetic hue can blossom.
One can hope :roll: .

Secondly, it’s been a long source of minor irritation to many Irish that we have “Done better than most” out of the EU in it’s various evolutionary stages over the years. Granted, there has been much benefit, particularly in the 1980s, but this is far, VERY far from telling the full story of how the remarkable success of the Celtic Tiger economy came to be in recent times.
Many would argue that Ireland’s low corporate tax policy of the mid to late 90s which on many occasion flew in the face of and stood AGAINST EU mantra signaled the beginning of our golden economic age. Non EU investment flooded in (particulary from the US) and this together with the blossoming harmony both sides of the national divide began to enjoy, our continuing healthy relationship with the UK (a moderately Euro Sceptic nation) and our own increased levels of modern, secular education all reaped long overdue dividends.
Not to mention the success of Riverdance :lol:

Right then…
Generally speaking, I have been pro Europe most of my adult life. Pro EU as a concept. I have (to the best of my ability) supported a large percentage of current EU mandates over the years including enlargement within the perameters of Nice etc..
Let’s face it, yes it has been good to and for Ireland… till now.

Sensitive national issues such as neutrality, abortion and a common defence policy are already protected by the Maastrict protocol for the time being and it is my understanding (though I would not swear this as Gospel) that the reduction in the number of commissioners and changes to qualified majority voting were ratified under the Nice treaty as part of the enlargement package.
As such, both treaties represent the best possible deal for Ireland and other smaller member states.

Which brings me to Lisbon..
Methinks that just a little too much squeeze is happening. Many may argue whether the Lisbon Treaty is one of the most noble or cynical vision of EU Entente , but surely none could disagree that it has been the most ill -applied undertaking.
Remember, in essence it is a mere re-hash of the doomed EU Constitution draft roundly rejected by the French and Dutch. A document smothered in vague “further down the line interpretations” and obfuscation.
Bully boys such as the French foreign minister preaching predictions of Ireland’s doom if the treaty is rejected do no good at all

The commonly held impression as my fellow countrymen and women take to the polls tomorrow is that the European Union is now trying to create a form of government which, through it’s (and I agree with the Gooner Bird here) utter complexity, it’s vastness and it’s (most damning) presumptuousness, cannot possibly be representative of those it governs.

My NO vote today will not mean NO to Europe : It will mean NO to the threat of a badly designed one.

It’s gonna be tight.