When the Irish people voted no to the Lisbon treaty earlier this year, we were given a good ticking off by all the yes advocates both at home and abroad. We were looked upon as fools and paranoid freaks. People were tearing their hair out and looking to heaven as if the sky was about to fall on Ireland. We were told ‘this is it, there is no better deal’. We were told that we would be left behind. Nothing could be done.
Less than a year later there is, it seems, a better deal on the table, I’m delighted I said no. There is always a better deal.
And what today’s result shows more than anything is that those people, in Ireland particularly (and particularly certain parts of Dublin where the most ‘educated’ people alledgedly come from), who feel that we shouldn’t be bothered to question, debate and vote on our future in Europe because we can’t influence anything are and were wrong. The rejection of this treaty will now result in all E.U. countries keeping a commissioner. And even if this is the only ‘concession’ granted, at least the Irish have made the E.U. think again. The rest of Europe’s citizens, if not the politicians, will wonder why they weren’t given the same opportunity.
So say we all to that one. The Lisbon vote in June was the biggest kick up the backside the establishment ever got and they well deserved it.
Merry Christmas