The EU Summit of EU state leaders that took place in Brussels on 11th and 12th December, to discuss among other things, the future direction of the Lisbon Treaty after the Irish No vote last year, was hailed as a success by Irish Taoiseach, Brian Cowen.

However, for others, including the Celtic League, Mr Cowen's decision to hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, is nothing short of a betrayal of the Irish people. The second referendum, which Ireland committed itself to last week must be held before November 2009“ the end of the term of the current European Commission“ and will be the exact same Treaty that the people of the Republic of Ireland rejected in June 2008.

Although Mr Cowen stated that the views of the Irish people had been respected and that it was "a major achievement by Ireland" not a word of the Lisbon Treaty text will be changed. Instead the 'concessions' that Mr Cowen declared had been achieved will now be dealt with by declarations, which will be written together with Croatia's accession treaty to the EU in 2010 or 2011. The legal obligations on Ireland will therefore not be changed if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified in a second referendum and the Irish Government will still not be able to choose its own Commissioner, who will be picked by a majority of EU state leaders.

The Celtic League's Convenor, Cathal O Luain, who opposed the Lisbon Treaty in June, said:

"As predicted we will be asked to vote on exactly the same Treaty. A total insult to the Irish people and the concept of democracy in the EU.

The concession on keeping a commissioner per country will be done outside of it and it appears to me this could change later. The other main issues will, we are told, be dealt with by Declarations, which are not worth the paper they are written on and not binding in the future¦unlike Protocols which are binding will not require ratification of an amended Treaty by those who persisted in ratifying it.

So we can anticipate in the New Year a campaign of hysteria on what will happen if Lisbon is rejected again, we will disappear into the Atlantic mists and be no longer part of Europe!"

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J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League 16/12/08

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