Forum on Europe to be scrapped

[Trampas]

THe Forum on Europe was set up after the defeat of the first Nice referendum. According to its remit the Forum would provide “ a politically neutral public space within which political views and analyses of all shades can be put forward.” It would also be “ an opportunity for all Irish people to have their say.” Not in my experience of perhaps half a dozen sessions. We are well shut of it.

[Keith-M]

Just one of many wastes of money that can no longer be afforded.

[ibis]

Originally Posted by onthefence

I am gobsmacked at these figures!! where did they come from?

...our pockets.

[JollyRedGiant]

The Forum on Europe was a serious waste of money since it's inception. And Bertie said money was no object when the Lisbon Treaty was announced.

Massive expenses (up to €1000 for attending the meeting if you were travelling far enough) free four course dinner with expensive wine for every delegate. Plus research allowances for each party.

FG are a bit of a joke really - attacking the forum because of the cost - they packed the Forum with ex-TD's (sitting TD's couldn't claim expenses) like Nora Owen, Alan Dukes, Jim Higgins, Madeline Taylor-Quinn etc - it was a slush fund for ex-FG TD's. It was very rare that they ever sent a sitting TD to the meetings. So FG raked in more of the expenses than anyone else.

[FutureTaoiseach]

A bizarre and disgraceful decision in the light of Lisbon II. While on the no side, I hold the view that the summary of the Treaty produced by the Forum was fairly balanced and accurate except perhaps on neutrality where I didn't fully agree. Make no mistake about the motivation behind this decision: this is about keeping the plebs in their place, and allowing the pro-Lisbon ruling-class to marginalise the expressed wishes of 54% of the Irish electorate in the referendum last year. Before someone mentions opinion polls, the only poll that matters is the one that takes place on polling-day, and the wording of the Lisbon polls recently mention assurances we have not yet been given on paper yet. The Committee on European Affairs, like Dail Eireann and Seanad Eireann, is controlled by the pro-Lisbon parties. The 2007 GE took place before Lisbon even existed (it was drafted in Sept 2007 and signed on Dec 2007, so the political-parties cannot claim a mandate to ratify it. It is true that interest in this body only really spikes during an EU referendum, but in that context it was an important conduit whereby public-opinion could make itself felt to the political-elites. Devoid of that conduit, the elites are now free to filter-out the democratically-expressed wishes of 54% of the Irish people on Lisbon by using the Committee to propagandise in favour of the Treaty. Their recent report calling for a second referendum and linking the recession to the no vote being a particularly brazen example.

[JollyRedGiant]

FT - do you seriously think anyone even knew the Forum existed except for the people who went to the meetings.

[Catalpa]

I went to one of their meetings and staged a one man protest against Immigration.

Guess I won't be able to do that again...

Can't make up my mind whether this is a good or a bad idea though...

[He3]

Originally Posted by futuretaoiseach

while on the no side, i hold the view that the summary of the treaty produced by the forum was fairly balanced and accurate except perhaps on neutrality where i didn't fully agree.

Make no mistake about the motivation behind this decision: This is about keeping the plebs in their place, and allowing the pro-lisbon ruling-class to marginalise the expressed wishes of 54% of the irish electorate in the referendum last year.

+1


....

[lostexpectation]

Originally Posted by David Cochrane

Creighton Welcomes Closure of Forum on Europe


Fine Gael Spokesman on European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton TD has today (Thursday) welcomed the Government decision to close down the National Forum on Europe.

Deputy Creighton said that the Oireachtas is the appropriate forum for the debate of matters pertaining to European Affairs.

“I called for this action last summer and I am now pleased that the Taoiseach has taken up my suggestion.

“The Forum on Europe had degenerated into a talking-shop, dominated by the social partners. Most of the ‘representatives’ who participated in the Forum had no mandate and did not represent any clear constituency. The Forum had become a very, very expensive forum of hot air.

”

its seem creighton also has a problem understanding the idea that referendums aren't about political parties

[TommyO'Brien]

Originally Posted by Keith-M

Just one of many wastes of money that can no longer be afforded.

If you didn't like it then obvious it had some use.