The Lisbon Treaty debate

Dear sir - The Irish Government has sought to fully address the concerns of the Irish people as expressed in last year"s Lisbon Treaty referendum. At the summit of EU leaders in December 2008, agreement was secured that if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified that all countries in the European Union would have the right to nominate one member to the European Commission at all times. At the last meeting of EU leaders in June, legal certainties were put in place which fully clarify that the EU does not have any power to legislate in the policy areas of abortion or taxation. These legal sureties also stated very clearly that Irish neutrality is fully respected within the European Union and there is a solemn declaration that workers rights are fully protected within the context of the Lisbon Treaty. All these issues that I am referring to here today were very real concerns of the Irish people during the last Lisbon Treaty referendum campaign. The Irish Government negotiated this agreement in a spirit of determination and co-operation with our other 26 EU partners. Furthermore, it is in Ireland"s economic interest that we stay as a central and committed member of the European Union. People who create jobs in the Irish economy are calling for a 'Yes" vote because there know that we can and we will economically recover with the support of both the European Union and of the European Central Bank. Ireland"s membership of the European Union has been a success story. Now is the time to embrace the European Union. Economically, we would be very foolish to do otherwise. Yours, Liam Aylward MEP, Hugginstown, Co Kilkenny.