Yes to Europe

Posted on July 17, 2009 at 01:11 PM

Labour for Europe
Deputy Joe Costello speaking at the launch of our Lisbon campaign

The Labour Party supported a previous referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and it fully supports a yes vote again.

We are voting yes because the Lisbon Treaty reforms the institutions of the European Union making them more democratic and effective; it improves our capacity to deal with international problems such as economic crisis, climate change and world poverty; it gives us the Charter of Fundamental Rights which champions the rights of the ordinary citizen particularly the rights of working people; and its strikes a better balance between the marketplace and the needs of society.

Secondly the legally binding guarantees on taxation, military neutrality and the right to life, education and the family clear away the confusion that clouded these issues in peoples' minds in the previous occasion.

Also the right of each member state to retain an EU Commissioner was a matter of considerable concern to the Irish voters. That is now guaranteed but only if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified.

Finally there is now a worldwide economic crisis with 200,000 of our owb people made redundant in the last 12 month period alone. Europe has been enormously beneficial to Ireland and to job creation in Ireland in the past.

Working in partnership with the European Union, its markets and financial institutions is the best way to maintain and create jobs. A no vote is a no to closer engagement to Europe and that will have negative consequences for the future well-being of our people.

Joe Costello TD - Spokesperson on Europe

Tagged with Foreign & European Affairs • labourforeurope