A century ago the great Irish socialist republican James Connolly wrote "Ireland without her people means
nothing to me". It was a different time and a different context but the meaning rings true today. Connolly was making the
point that abstract arguments about Ireland as a nation were pointless if they didn't take the needs of the Irish people into
account. The same could be said today about the European Union and the crucial decision the Irish people have
to make on the Lisbon Treaty.
Urging a No vote, Workers' Party President Michael Finnegan echoed the words of Connolly, "Europe
without its people is meaningless and the Lisbon Treaty was drawn up without regard for the people of Europe. It is
a charter for big business and for the creation of a European Superstate for profit for the very wealthy at the expense of
the working people and preying on the developing world and its resources"
"The Lisbon Treaty has been foisted on the people of Europe, ninety nine percent of whom have been denied
a vote on it. Only the Irish constitution has given us a chance to pass verdict on Lisbon and if there is a Yes vote
then the constitutional protection against further erosions of our sovereignty will be voted away. The Workers' Party
urges a resounding repeat of the No vote in today's referendum", said Mr. Finnegan.
"Democracies do not rerun referendums a short time later because their ruling elites don't like the first
result. Democracies accept the will of the people and the rerunning of Lisbon a mere 15 months after a majority of voters
rejected it is an affront to our democracy and shows that the European Union has scant regard for the views of the Irish people".
"The threats and doom predictions of the Yes lobby are without one scintilla of truth. If Ireland
votes No again our place in the EU is protected by international law arising. We cannot be thrown out of the EU or relegated
to a second division within it because this would be in breach of the European Union's own rules and laws. If Lisbon
is rejected again then the status quo remains, Ireland continues to be a full member of the European Union and our constitutional
status remains as it is"
"The Lisbon Treaty is a deeply flawed deal that attacks workers rights, takes away democracy from the people
of Europe and further entangles Ireland in the mechanisms of NATO and a European Army. Lisbon will do nothing
about jobs and will if anything only hinder economic recovery in this country. For all the people of Europe who
have been denied a vote and for the people of Ireland the Workers' Party calls for a No vote on Lisbon today", said Michael
Finnegan.
Issued 2nd October 2009
