Address by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, T.D., to the Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament

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Address by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, T.D., to the Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament

6 October 2008

Mr. Chairman,

Committee Members,

I want to thank you for providing me with this opportunity to meet with you today. I am aware of the role this Committee plays in the Parliament and of your strong links with the other EU institutions.

I am also grateful to have the opportunity to share our discussion with Vice-President Wallstrom who plays a key role in the Commission’s handling of the Lisbon Treaty.

Her work on the more effective communication of EU issues has a particular relevance at present given the challenge we face in connecting the Union’s work with the everyday concerns of our citizens.

I welcome the opportunity to have an exchange of views on the findings of our recently-published research project. The aim of this research was to help clarify the reasons behind our referendum result on June the 12th. The research also sought to assess the attitudes of Irish people to the European Union more broadly.

I will also avail of this opportunity to brief the Committee on recent developments in Ireland and to take a look forward to the October European Council and beyond.

Mr. Chairman,

I am acutely aware of the deep disappointment in the Parliament about the outcome of our referendum. I am also mindful of the very measured reaction of the leaders of this Parliament since June.

I appreciate that the European Parliament has been highly supportive of the Lisbon Treaty and with good reason. As the only directly-elected institution within the EU system, the Parliament has a special link with the citizens of Europe. With that link comes a special legitimacy and responsibility. One of the Lisbon Treaty’s outstanding features is the enhanced role it envisages for the European Parliament, not least by extending the number of areas in which the Parliament would assume the role of co-legislator.

Ireland has been and remains a strong supporter of a greater role for the European Parliament in the EU legislative process. This Parliament is unique in that it gives a legislative role to elected representatives from 27 proudly distinctive countries who come together in Brussels and Strasbourg where they subject the policies and activities of the Union to intensive oversight. This parliament has played an important role in the evolution of the Union and must continue to do so in the period ahead.

During our referendum campaign, my Government colleagues and I insisted that the provisions relating to the Parliament were amongst the most important in the treaty.

We saw the enhanced role for parliament as an important means by which the Union’s institutions can connect themselves with the interests and aspirations of our citizens.

Background to the Government’s Research

The Union is undoubtedly in a difficult situation in the aftermath of the referendum.  We need to explore ways of moving forward together which respects the democratic will of the Irish people as well as the interests of our EU partners which have ratified the Treaty and see it as a vital element in the Union’s future development.

For our part, we want to maintain Ireland’s position at the heart of an effective and responsive EU.  This has always been Ireland's position throughout the three-and-a-half decades of our EU membership. All indications are that the Irish people want this positive approach to the EU to continue.   Indeed, Irish public opinion on the Union is more positive than in most other Member States.

We are determined, therefore, to find a solution within a reasonable timeframe. It is imperative, however, that we find the right solution: one that succeeds; and one that meets Irish needs as well as those of our EU partners and the Union’s institutions. 

At the June European Council meeting, it was agreed that more time was needed to analyse the situation. In the past, time has always been required in the wake of negative referendum votes. The Union has always used that time well in order to build consensus and devise solutions which can accommodate all our interests. That must be our shared aim on this occasion also. We ought to take heart from the Union’s record of achievement in overcoming earlier setbacks, in refusing to live with stalemate and in always finding the political will to move forward together.

The Irish Government’s strategy is clear.  We want to analyse the referendum result and, on the basis of that analysis, to chart a way forward acceptable to all of us.  To contribute to this process, the Government commissioned comprehensive research, which aimed to identify our people’s key concerns.

The survey was conducted completely independently by experts in the research and analysis field. These results form an important input into our ongoing work on the best way forward for Ireland. We hope that they convey a clear sense to those outside Ireland of the factors surrounding our referendum. The study also highlights the scale of the challenge facing us, especially in communicating more effectively about the Union’s policies and purpose.

The Survey Results

There are a number of aspects of the research results which I want to highlight.

First, contrary to what the headlines might suggest, our difficult referendum campaign has not shaken Ireland’s steadfast belief in the Union. The survey results clearly show that our people want Ireland to continue to be fully involved in the Union. Seventy per cent of Irish people agree that membership is a good thing; while just eight per cent disagree. By a clear majority – more than 3:1 – there is a belief that Ireland’s interests are best pursued by remaining fully involved in the EU rather than by opting to be less involved. Indeed, a majority of those who voted No take this positive view of Ireland’s future in Europe.

Second, lack of information was a significant problem for the electorate. "Lack of knowledge or information" was cited by 42 per cent of those who voted No. Reinforcing this point, the main reason cited for abstaining was also "lack of understanding or knowledge", at 46 per cent.

This element of uncertainty and the lack of clarity on the part of the electorate are also illustrated by the fact that more than 40 per cent of voters made up their minds on how to vote in the last seven days of the campaign.

Third, a number of other issues gave rise to very real concerns and uncertainties in the minds of our electorate. Among the issues identified in the research were the composition of the Commission, the corporate tax base, workers’ rights, neutrality and abortion. It will be important that we work together to find ways to respond to these concerns.

No single issue dominated the referendum campaign. This means that the situation now is more complex than was the case following the Nice Treaty referendum in 2001

Fourth, the research indicates that there are marked differences in voter behaviour between different demographic groups. Younger voters were strongly opposed to the Treaty. There were also marked differences between socio-economic groups. These trends are not particular to Ireland. It is incumbent on us to draw the right lessons from these worrying trends and to ensure that the challenges they pose do not go unheeded.

National Parliamentary Process

In recent days, we have moved to establish a new parliamentary Committee on Ireland’s future in Europe. This will provide us with a forum in which to conduct a vital national debate which will assist in pointing the way forward. I expect this work to get underway in earnest in the coming days. The Committee has been given a demanding timetable which is indicative of the urgency and priority we attach to the issues which it will be exploring. Its purpose is to build the broadest possible political consensus on the next steps for Ireland in Europe in the aftermath of our referendum.

I expect in the coming weeks to witness a wide-ranging, forward-looking, political debate with a firm focus on our vital ties with our EU partners and on the consequences of our failure to ratify the Lisbon Treaty.

The parliamentary Committee has been asked to report before the end of November. This report will inform the Government’s approach to the December European Council. 

Current Situation

I fully understand the anxiety across the Union for progress to be made on the Lisbon Treaty. I recognise that the desire for a stronger, more cohesive and more effective Union has increased significantly on the back of recent political and economic developments.

It is evident that the Union has been working on institutional issues for too many years. There is an understandable desire to put this period of internal reflection behind us and to address those issues which impact on the daily lives of 500 million people across the Union.

I do not want to underestimate the difficulties we face. There is a stark reality than cannot be ignored. We had a referendum in Ireland and our people voted against the ratification of this Treaty. Less than four months have elapsed since that decision and there has not yet been sufficient time for a national debate on the consequences of that decision.

We need to move forward calmly and carefully. Our national debate needs to take its course. It will occupy much of our attention in the coming weeks. It would be counter-productive to try to press ahead too hastily. A step by step approach is required.

There is a real need for better information and communications on EU issues. Too many people are left unaware of the Union’s achievements while those who oppose the Union can often succeed in peddling half truths and outright distortions about the Union’s actions and ambitions. We are currently looking at ways in which we can improve on how European issues are communicated. We plan to work closely with the Commission in this regard.

Going forward

At the October European Council, the Taoiseach plans to provide a thorough analysis of developments since June. We do not expect to be in a position at that point to set out a precise basis for a solution, as our domestic process of reflection and debate will not have been completed.

I appreciate the desire that exists for us to provide clarity on our intentions by the end of the year.  We are acutely conscious of the expectations of our partners and we will do our best to satisfy these.  By December, we expect to be able to identify more precisely the issues that need to be addressed and to outline the necessary steps to achieve our objective of continued full engagement in the Union.

We will continue to work intensively on these issues, both in Ireland and in concert with our EU partners and the institutions in the coming weeks and months. 

The continuing support and understanding of the European institutions – including the Parliament – will be essential as we attempt to make progress on this issue during the challenging period ahead.  The European Union has found itself in this sort of difficulty on a number of occasions in the past. On each occasion, the Union has found collective and inclusive solutions. In doing so, the Union has demonstrated so clearly why it is valued and why the principles on which it was founded have stood the test of time.

I want to assure you that Ireland is determined to work with the Member States and the institutions to find a solution to the current situation. The Taoiseach made this clear to President Sarkozy when he met him last week. The main purpose of my visit here today is to convey the same message to you.

Finding a solution will not be easy, but I am convinced that it is possible.

I know the European Parliament has a vital stake in the outcome of this work. I know that the vast majority of your members are impatient for progress. We also want a successful solution. We will work with you in a cooperative, constructive spirit toward that objective. The challenge we face is a major one. It is important therefore that we afford ourselves the time needed to get it right.

I look forward to hearing the contribution of the Vice President of the Commission as well as the comments of members of the Committee. I would of course be happy to respond to your comments before we conclude our meeting today.

ENDS+++

Press Office

06 October 2008