Republican News · Thursday 3 October 2002

Conamara Against Nice launch campaign

A new umbrella organisation opposed to the Nice Treaty was launched on Tuesday morning in Ros a Mhíl, Conamara, bringing together the Greens, Sinn Féin, Republican Sinn Féin and elected Independents in Conamara. At the launch was Sinn Féin's Sean Ó Coisteabhla, Diarmuid Ó Maolchatha of the Greens, Tomás Ó Curreoin of Republican Sinn Féin and Seosamh Ó Cuaig, an elected independent member of Údarás na Gaeltachta.

It is no coincidence that the launch took place in the fishing port of Ros a Mhíl. The fishing industry has been in sharp decline for a long period due to massive EU cuts in fish quotas to Irish fishermen. When the National Forum on Europe met in public session in Carraroe, it was fishermen from Rosaveal port who were the most vociferous in their criticism of the direction the EU was taking.

Conamara Against Nice will campaign in North and South Conamara with its bilingual programme, which in essence asks: "Should you trust the government on Nice?" Four areas of concern are raised by the Conamara umbrella group:

• The government is "betraying Irish democracy" by rerunning the Nice referendum. It is pointed out that "the other EU countries were not allowed to vote on Nice".
• The government is misleading the Irish people about the impact of Nice on Irish neutrality. "The Seville Declaration on Irish neutrality will not change the Nice Treaty in any way. In fact these declarations prove that Irish neutrality is threatened and the Irish government tried to mislead the people from the very outset of the debate on Nice." The new group also argues that "Nice means the end of Ireland UN peacekeeping role, instead we will be part of an aggressive EU army."
• The government is misleading the people about enlargement. The new applicant countries can join the EU without Nice. The real aim of Nice is "to create a two-tier Europe, where the big powerful countries dictate to the small countries".
• The government's claim that jobs will be lost if Nice is rejected again has no foundation. "If we vote No, we remain full equal members of the EU as we are now. No harm whatsoever can come to the Irish economy."

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McKenna & McGrath to address anti-Nice meeting

Green Party MEP Patricia McKenna will speak at a public meeting on Friday night, 4 October at 8.30pm on her reasons for her continuing opposition to the Nice Treaty. Also on the platform in the Clybaun Hotel, Knocknacarra, will be the newly-elected Tuam-born Independent TD for Dublin North, Finian McGrath.

The public meeting is being organised by the County Galway Campaign for Democracy and Neutrality, which has begun an active canvass for a No vote.

"Our workers have been surprised during the past week at the depth of public sentiment against Nice," said campaign spokesperson Niall Farrell.

"Undoubtedly, anti-government feeling due to the post-election cutbacks and to revelations about corruption are playing a part in this. But it is clear that people are far better informed about the Nice Treaty than they were last year and that, by and large, they are not impressed by it. In particular, there is widespread resentment that the same question is being put again in a referendum. "It is clear too that the Seville Declaration has not allayed concerns about Irish neutrality," Farrell added.

Admission to Friday night's meeting is free, and all are welcome.