Road to 'Lisbon 2'
Hi. My name is MacDara Blaney. My late father Neil T. Blaney served as an MEP for Connaught-Ulster for two terms 1979-1984 and 1989-1994 and while there joined a group (The Rainbow Group) of like-minded independent MEPs from all over Europe.
I produced this site with family members and friends in our private capacity as citizens of this country.
We wanted to correct some of the imbalances in the media during the campaign and try and explain in simple terms some aspects of the proposed Treaty and potential consequences if passed.
The site can be read in a short time so if you still are unsure about the proposed treaty we hope you'll spend a little time here. Go to Treaty Facts.
We hope you find it valuable in deciding how to vote and welcome your feedback.
This site does not accept advertisements or donations.
Why this site?
My late father Neil T. Blaney saw at first hand what those attempting to hijack the then EEC were trying to do and he warned against it.
While being a proud Irishman he saw nothing contradictory in being 'pro-european' in the sense that he believed the peoples of europe could work together in mutualy beneficial ways to improve their lives and also the lives of other less fortunate people worldwide.
He could see the good europe could do. I share that view. He could also see the gathering forces of the federalist agenda biding their time and hatching their plans. That time has now come.
I believe the EU Constitution and its clone The Treaty of Lisbon is the culmination of what my late father warned about. The treaty is an old document designed for a different world. The treaty is a bad treaty that will not improve the lives of people here or in the other EU member states. The treaty is taking europe in a direction which the people of Ireland and Europe don't want. The treaty is a step too far in terms of surrendering our hard won independence and sovereignty and thus having the flexibility and ability to solve our problems using innovative and country-specific solutions in co-operation with the other countries in Europe.
I am appalled at the government and others-both non-government politicians and vested interests- disrespecting the sovereign will of the people as freely expressed on 12th June 2008 in the referendum. A referendum is a referendum-its result is not negotiable. Power derives from the people. Politicians are the servants of the people.
As in the aftermath of Nice 1 and the rejection of the EU Constituion in France and the Netherlands the gravy trainers in Dáil Éireann or the EU bureaucrats in Brussels couldn't admit that they might be doing things the wrong way and the people had spoken.
Compounding the original insult to the people the government and their pro-federal EU cheerleaders in the media and 'opposition' parties then sought to interpret the motives of those voting no and suggested they voted no because they were
- ignorant of the contents of the treaty
- 'anti-european'
- anti-government and voted no to get at it
- racist xenophobes
Did they ever consider that people who voted no in the referendum might have actually read it-unlike many of them including Mr.Cowen and McCreevy-understood it and decided it was not in their interests?
No voters are not anti-european but rather opposed to the european federalist 'project' or the united states of europe.
It reveals much about those who label no voters as anti-european; to them Europe is the EU not a collection of independent nation states who voluntarily co-operate together in the EU organisation.
Regarding the current campaign I am most concerned that many of the publications both official-whether from the Department of Foreign Affairs or The Referendum Commission paid for by the taxpayer are simplistic, misleading and deliberately manipulative. They misrepresent the contents of the treaty, the implications of the treaty and and also the status and effect of the so called 'legal guarantees' given to Ireland.
The use of public money to further the 'yes' campaign on what is a neutral issue vis-a-vis the state is in flagrant disregard of the court descision in the McKenna case-if not legally certainly the spirit of the judgement.
I believe it is the duty of those advocating a change to clearly and honestly present their case and with strong confidence in their position argue for it, explain it and tell people what the implications of their proposed change is for their lives and for the future.
Quite apart from the official literature the tactics and arguments used by most of the yes advocacy groups are spurious, irrelevant, condascending and plain wrong. They betray a total lack of honesty, integrity and confidence in their own position.
Their campaign has been one of vague platitudes and implicit threats suggesting things totally unrelated to the treaty. They are also unwilling to discuss the contents of the treaty.
If the treaty is so positive why not explain it and its contents? They have treated the people, the voters as fools. They seek to bribe, bully and threaten voters into voting one way; yes. Granted there is the odd spurious claim from the no side but not many. The no groups do want to discuss the actual contents of the treaty.
I am saddened but not surprised by the medias'-both broadcast and print-lack of impartiality and general pro-Lisbon bias as evidenced by the far greater proportion of articles/contributors from the yes perspective in their publications, editorial comments made and the lack of any real exercise of journalistic standards of fairness, accuracy and balance.
The lack of respect shown to the people here and to the seriousness of the proposal itself is indicative of a deep malaise at the heart of our politics and media.
You can help by sending this link to those in your address book or telling people about this site.
Also no matter whether you vote yes or no do vote and encourage others to do so.