EU-DIGEST

Declan Ganley - Who has been bankrolling the man behind the Irish "no to EU" campaign?

The no campaign against the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland was buoyant, thanks in large part to the zeal of 39 year old Declan Ganley. But the question remains: who has been bankrolling him? In reality, Declan Ganley, should be a member of Ireland's elite establishment: he is after all a millionaire, living in a mansion in Galway and owning a Rolls-Royce, a Merc and a helicopter. Yet the establishment is intensely fearful of him, because of the highly effective role he has played in persuading Irish voters to reject the EU Lisbon Treaty.

He can hardly be accused of being insular, since he has amassed his fortune with international ventures which have taken him to the US, Russia, Bulgaria and Latvia, where he once also worked as an adviser to the government. His English accent comes from the fact that he was born in London, though his Irish-born parents took the family back to live in rural Co Galway when he was 13.

In some ways he did not fit in, but he compensated with precocious entrepreneurial flair which already emerged in his teens. After school he went from working on construction sites in London to a lowly position in an insurance company before going on to build a business career ranging from aluminium in Russia to forestry in Latvia, telecommunications in Bulgaria and jewelry on the Internet. Some of his concerns have not been huge successes, while others are said to have been sold for phenomenal sums. What is clear is that until this campaign, he was much better known in the business world than in political circles and concentrated his activities on international, rather than Irish matters.

Some of his many companies do business with the US military-industrial complex. One supplies emergency response systems to the military leading some in the Yes camp to portray him as a shadowy figure with connections to neoconservatives whose organisation is being bankrolled by sinister money from outside Ireland. One senior figure asked: "Are they getting it from the CIA, the UK Independence Party or their friends in the US military?" Certainly, his campaign movement Libertas has spent plenty of money. The Sunday before the vote, for example, he could afford to have a private plane soar over Croke Park trailing the message "Keep Europe off the pitch vote No". His Libertas party, which dismisses all such allegations, is part of an anti-Treaty coalition, ranging from the far-right to the far-left. In their no-campaign they concentrated on different areas affected by the Treaty and indeed in some cases areas which are, arguably, not affected by it at all.

Ireland was once hugely, automatically pro-European, originally in terms of idealism and later in terms of major funding. But eaten bread is soon forgotten, specially now that monies are diverted to newer EU entrants. For whatever his motives, Declan Ganley used his old insurance salesman skills well and sold the Irish "a policy" on Europe they could one day come to regret.

Labels: Declan Ganley, EU, Ireland, referendum

Time to focus on Europe’s success

When Europe’s leaders gather in Brussels on Thursday, they should use the occasion to take a step back and ask: why is the European Union today apparently so unloved? Of course, it would be wrong to exaggerate. In every member state in the EU, more people love it than loathe it. But they do not really understand how it works, and they have forgotten what it is for. They are also worried that it has become too large and too alien. But that alone is not enough. It is time the EU leaders went out and sold their success story to their voters. Enlargement has been a fantastic success story. The same goes for the euro and the “four freedoms” – freedom of movement of people, capital, goods and services. If that positive story is not told, there is a real danger of a backlash that will tie the EU up in nationalist knots.

Labels: EU, referendum

Ireland's referendum - the EU will give them the boot

The rejection of the Lisbon Treaty is a vote that the people of Ireland will come to regret. No other nation has benefited as greatly from its membership in the European Union, and not just from billions of euros in direct subsidies. EU membership - in addition to Ireland's low taxes and its English-speaking population - has made the country an attractive place for multinationals to invest, and it has given Irish families and businesses access to the cheap credit that fueled the nation's economic growth. Irrational fear of "Brussels bureaucrats" is a poor substitute for a rational examination of the facts. Having scuttled the Lisbon Treaty, the Irish will have no one but themselves to blame if the EU gives them the boot.

Labels: EU, Ireland, referendum

Europe must not be derailed by lies and disinformation - by Will Hutton

Eurosceptics celebrate a triumph of the little people against the Euro juggernaut. Ireland's 'no' vote against the treaty on the European constitution is, in such minds, the brave assertion of democracy against bureaucracy. The European elite in Brussels, with its dark plans to hobble Europeans everywhere, deserves a good kicking for producing an unloved, incomprehensible set of reforms. It has got it. Ireland has stood up for Europe.

This is nonsense from top to bottom, a farrago of lies and disinformation. The European Union is a painfully constructed and fragile skein of compromises that allows 27 democratic states on our shared continent to come together and drive forward areas of common interest to further their citizens' well-being. The elite that plots this is a nonexistent phantom invented by populist demagogues. The beleaguered, unloved treaty would have improved Europe's effectiveness and tried to address its much talked about democratic weaknesses.

The reality is that Ireland's 'no' voters have trashed an EU that is precious but weak. Most 'no' voters, grabbing on to the worst fear rather than reasoned fact, have unknowingly set in train a political dynamic that, unless carefully handled, could lead not just to Ireland but Britain leaving the EU. Everybody will be the poorer.

Note EU-Digest: "if the Euro Sceptics in Britain and Ireland eventually get their way, the day might even come where Ireland and Britain will be replaced by Russia as a member of the EU. Russia in a way has far more to contribute to the EU as a whole than Ireland or Britain. If this happens it would finally get rid of two countries who have always been treating the EU with a certain amount of disdain and who look at their EU membership as "wanting to have their cake and eat it also."

Labels: EU, Ireland, referendum

France urges pursuing EU treaty

French President Nicolas Sarkozy led calls Saturday for the European Union to press on with ratifying its new treaty, but Ireland's "no" vote revived talk of pro-European capitals forming their own club. Sarkozy said the rejection of the pact in a referendum Thursday should not spark a crisis and confirmed that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had assured him he that would defy Euroskeptics and pursue its endorsement.

"Today, 18 European states have ratified. The others must continue to ratify . . . so that this Irish incident does not become a crisis," Sarkozy said at a news conference with President Bush in Paris.

Labels: EU, referendum

Refusing to take Ireland's no for an answer, leading politicians in Berlin and Paris prepared for a crucial EU summit in Brussels this week by trying to ringfence the Irish, while demanding that the reform treaty be ratified by the rest of the EU. The scene is set for a clash between the Irish and their European partners after a Dublin minister and sources in the ruling Fianna Fail party ruled out any chance of a second Irish referendum on the treaty.

Note EU-Digest: Whoever was behind this no-vote movement in Ireland, which had nothing to do with democracy and all about manipulation, should be made to understand that "you can not have your cake and eat it also".

Labels: EU, Ireland, referendum

China view: Poland says Irish referendum no dis-qualifier for Lisbon Treaty - by Mu Xuequan

Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty does not disqualify it and the EU will seek ways to enforce it, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday commenting Thursday's result of an Irish national referendum on the EU act. According tofficial partial results announced on Friday Lisbon Treaty opponents won the referendum in 27 of 43 Irish constituencies. Ireland was the only EU member to decide the matter in a national ballot. "The referendum results in Ireland do not disqualify the Treaty completely. We will continue seeking ways to bring it to life. Regardless of the referendum results I think we can be moderately optimistic about the EU finding a way to put it in force," Tusk told reporters in Polish parliament.

Note EU-Digest: "With Britain among the countries continuing to push the ratification process through their parliaments, Ireland is the odd one out. It has to explain how it finds common ground with 26 nations in favor of the Lisbon Treaty. An Irish "no" is being set against a "yes" from the parliaments of another 18 countries so far. The "no" from Ireland does not mean everything is wrecked. Ireland will feel the repercussions, not Europe, because the momentum can't be stopped. As to the strong EURO septics lobby and press in Britain, let them be warned, the true fight is only beginning now."

Labels: EU, Ireland, referendum

Britain: Miliband to continue with EU plans

Irish voters stunned Europe's leaders and brought the ratification process shuddering to a halt, voting by 53.4% to 46.6% to reject the treaty. As jubilant 'No' campaigners celebrated in Dublin, the Tories said that the treaty should now finally be declared dead and called on Gordon Brown to abandon ratification by the UK. But Mr Miliband said that while it was important to respect the Irish result, there should also be a "British view" on the treaty, as expressed in the ratification bill currently going through Parliament.

Labels: EU, Ireland, referendum

Ireland votes against Lisbon Treaty - by Tom Peterkin

Even before all the official Ireland referendum results were in, the Irish government conceded that the public had voted against the Treaty. Dermot Ahern, the country’s justice minister, predicted: “It looks like this will be a 'no' vote.” Mr Ahern added: “At the end of the day, for a myriad of reasons, the people have spoken.” Despite benefiting from £32 billion in European Grants in recent years, a low turn-out (45 per cent) of the Irish electorate discarded the Treaty, designed to streamline the EU. The outcome was triumph for a highly-effective No Campaign masterminded by the Libertas group led by the multimillionaire Declan Ganley. For Brian Cowen, the newly-installed Irish Prime Minister, the result was a disaster. All the main political parties, aside from Sinn Fein, had supported the Treaty and made strenuous efforts to win the referendum.

Labels: EU, Ireland, referendum

Irish Referendum vote count under way

Counting of the votes cast yesterday on the Lisbon Treaty Referendum began at 9am this morning, with early indications of trends expected by mid-morning.The final official result is expected to be announced late this afternoon, but tallies from the 43 constituencies should give a good indication of the likely outcome late this morning. Each constituency counts its own votes separately, and then sends the result to the Referendum Returning Officer in Dublin Castle, who will announce the overall result. Turnout is thought to have been higher than in the first Nice Referendum, which was defeated, but lower than in the second, which was passed. However, with recent opinion polls suggesting that supporters of the treaty were more likely to vote, a lower turnout is not necessarily good news for the No side.

Labels: EU, Ireland, referendum

Irish Referendum - France warns Ireland on EU treaty 'No' vote - by Honor Mahoney

French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner has warned Ireland about the consequences of voting "No" in Thursday's referendum, saying the Irish would be the "first victim" if they reject the EU treaty. Speaking on France's RTL radio, Mr Kouchner said that a "No" vote would be met by "gigantic incomprehension" in the rest of Europe."I believe the first victim of an eventual no would be the Irish. They have benefitted more than others," said Mr Kouchner. "Yes, they're not happy because maybe nobody told them that Europe is confronting the rest of the world and that to have advantages for themselves, for the Irish...well, Europe has to develop, has to go in the direction of the Treaty of Lisbon," he said.

Labels: EU, France, Ireland, referendum

Gormley warns Irish reputation at stake - by Mark Hennesy

Green Party leader John Gormley today said that a No vote in the Lisbon treaty referendum would jeopardise Ireland's reputation in the European Union. He made his remarks as he attended a Dublin meeting of European Greens, who are recommending a Yes vote even though the Irish Greens have not adopted a formal position on the Treaty. "When I hear renowned neo-cons and hawks like [US State Dept official] John Bolton encourage Irish people to vote No in Lisbon, it reminds me that I am on the right side of the debate," Mr Gormley said. "There are people in this campaign who want to see Ireland move into a more isolationist and Eurosceptic position. I have never been Eurosceptic, and I would hate to see Ireland move in this direction. Ireland enjoys a place at the very heart of Europe, and I fear that a No vote could endanger the influence and position that our small country has established over the last 36 years of our membership."

Belgian Green MEP Pierre Jonckheer said all Green MEPs in the European parliament are "very hopeful" that Ireland will accept the Treaty, despite recent opinion poll figures. "Ireland has little to fear from Lisbon, and much to gain from being at the centre of a Union that will be more democratic and efficient as a result of a Yes vote," he said.

Labels: EU, Ireland, Lisbon Treaty, referendum

Irish EU Referendum: Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail clash over Lisbon consequences

The Minister for Finance has said that Ireland will have less influence in Europe if the Lisbon Treaty is rejected. Brian Lenihan was attacking the claims of the 'No' campaigners who say that Ireland will lose out by the loss of a commissioner and changes to the manner in which decisions are made. Today's Red C poll in the Sunday Business Post shows support for a 'No' vote at 39% - up six points, but the 'Yes' campaign remains ahead on 42%.

Labels: EU, Ireland, Lisbon Treaty, referendum

For the complete report from ireland.com click on this link

Irish Referendum Lisbon Treaty: No vote would mean end of Ireland as a business gateway to Europe - by Patrick Logue and Killian Doyle - by Patrick Logue and Killian Doyle

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has said a Yes vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum next week is “fundamentally in our interests” after a poll today showed it faces a shock rejection. Mr Cowen accused those opposed to the treaty of “spreading confusion” and bringing in “extraneous issues” that were nothing to do with the Treaty, which is subject to a referendum on June 12th. According to the Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll results, the number of people intending to vote No has almost doubled to 35 per cent (up 17 points) since the last poll three weeks ago, while the number of the Yes side has declined to 30 per cent (down 5 points).

The number of undecided voters is still a significant 28 per cent (down 12 points), while 7 per cent won’t vote. The findings suggest that Mr Cowen faces a humiliating defeat

Note EU-Digest: A no vote would mean “queers Irish sales pitch to companies thinking about investing in Ireland as a base within Europe”. Former Progressive Democrats leader Ms Harney said she believed that Ireland’s best interests in terms of investment and job creation are supported by a Yes vote next Thursday. Ms Harney directly challenged leading anti-Lisbon campaigners including Declan Ganley, Joe Higgins and Mary Lou McDonald, to debate with her on how a No vote would serve Ireland in the future. Making reference to her former role as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Minister questioned how anti-Lisbon campaigners could comment on the economic implications of the treaty when they lack experience of attracting investment into Ireland.

Labels: EU, Ireland, Lisbon Treaty, referendum

Ireland - U.S. defense establishment, Irish Republican Army and Sinn Fein against EU Lisbon Treaty

The Irish government, most business leaders and political parties of nearly every stripe have come out overwhelmingly in favor of the Lisbon Treaty, pointing out how Ireland's membership in the EU over the last 35 years has helped transform the Emerald Isle of 4.1 million people from an impoverished backwater dependent on Britain to one of Europe's most robust economies.But a newly vigorous opposition composed of farmers, a few wealthy businessmen with vague connections to the U.S. defense establishment and the leftist Irish republican party, Sinn Fein, have gained quickly in recent polls, and the outcome is suddenly no longer a sure thing.

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen this week described the treaty, which replaces a constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005, as a "major victory" for small members such as Ireland that would protect and promote their interests.
IKrish Republican Army. Irish voters go to the polls on June 12 to vote on the treaty in the only referendum planned by an EU state, meaning one of the bloc's smallest nations could sink a project designed to end years of wrangling over reform of its institutions.

Ireland, with a population of 4.2 million, votes will decide whether the European Union finally gets a full-time president and a single, more powerful, foreign policy chief. The Irish electorate will determine whether the European Union can reorganize its ramshackle internal structures and play a more influential role on the world stage or whether it will just carry on muddling through.Rarely have so few voters caused so many jitters across so many capitals.And with opinion polls showing much of the Irish electorate undecided, the possibility that the Lisbon Treaty may be rejected has sent unfamiliar tremors of fear through the ranks of Europe's top bureaucrats, who rarely have to trouble with voters.

A growing number of Irish voters say they will back the European Union's reform treaty in next month's referendum, although nearly half of those canvassed remain undecided, a poll showed on Saturday. A poll in the Irish Times newspaper found that 35 percent of Irish people said they would vote "yes" on June 12, up from 26 percent in a previous survey conducted in January.

Brian Cowen, who took over as Ireland's prime minister this month, has said approving the accord was a key priority for the government in the next few weeks. "If we vote yes we remain at the heart of a successful Europe, making our voice heard and continuing to benefit," Cowen said in a campaign speech to voters on Friday evening. "A no vote will put us on the outside and rejects the policies which have helped us to achieve so much."

Labels: EU, EU Treaty, Ireland, referendum

The saga of the Joker and the King continues - Chavez now threatens Spain with sanctions

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has again threatened to impose sanctions against Spain. He says that if the right-wing Partido Popolar returns to government he will order the Spanish oil company Repsol to leave the country. On Friday he said that he will break off relations with Spain if King Juan Carlos does not apologise for telling him to shut up during a conference. The king made the comment after President Chavez referred to former Spanish prime minister and leader of the Partito Popolar Jose Maria Aznar as a fascist.Note EU-Digest: There is a Chinese proverb which says: "When you go up to the mountain too often, you will eventually encounter the tiger" - Mr. Chavez might win todays referendum, but he could also be defeated.

Labels: Chavez, referendum, Venezuela