Ireland’s key national interests are protected under the terms of the Lisbon Treaty -





Pat the Cope Gallagher MEP today said that Ireland’s key national interests are fully protected under the terms of the Lisbon Treaty.



Ireland has secured a series of legal guarantees on June 18th last which do clarify a number of issues which were raised by a number of Irish people in the referendum of last year.



The first legal guarantee states that the Lisbon Treaty does not affect Ireland’s policy of neutrality. The Lisbon Treaty does not introduce conscription and levels of defence expenditure are matters for each member state of the EU to deal with themselves. Moreover, the triple lock arrangement remains in place. Irish troops cannot serve abroad unless it is with the approval of both Dail Eireann and the Irish Government and it is in accordance with a mandate of the United Nations.



A second legal guarantee states that the Lisbon Treaty does not give any power to the European Union in the field of taxation. In other words, Ireland decides our own tax rates. This is not a power or competence of the European Union.



A third legal guarantee states that the Lisbon Treaty and the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights does not affect any of the protections that are enshrined within articles of the Irish constitution in the policy areas of education, the family and right to life issues.



The bottom line is that our key national interests are completely protected under this treaty.



A Yes vote on October 2nd next is the right course of action for the Irish people to take. It is in the political and economic interests of our country that this treaty is ratified.”



September 22nd 2009.



ENDS.