Statement by Minister Mary Harney, T.D., Acting Leader of the Progressive Democrats
EU Reform Treaty: the pro-market, pro-enterprise, pro-jobs position is Yes.
On Saturday (16th February) the Progressive Democrats held a key meeting of our General Council. Alongside party matters, the key item on the agenda was the EU Reform Treaty.
I was proud to hear passionate arguments affirming that the Progressive Democrats have always been, and remain, a pro-European party.
We are part of the European Liberal Democratic Reform Group. We are totally committed to defending and developing liberal democratic values in Europe. We will never forget the devastation caused to countless millions of people in Europe in the 20th century by anti-democratic, anti-freedom, intolerant ideologies of fascism and communism.
We believe the European Union has shown successfully over 50 years how peoples working together in a common framework of freedom and rights is the best way to secure peace, freedom and prosperity for all. This developing project of opportunity and solidarity deserves our full support.
On Saturday, speakers recalled all the social improvements that had come from the developing EU: equality for women, employment rights and consumer rights, as well as critical environmental protection measures.
We decided that we would actively advocate a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum this summer, as we have done in all European referenda since we were founded in 1985.
The economic reasons for a Yes vote are clear. We believe that in every area where it matters for Ireland’s economic development, the EU is playing pivotal role.
We are pro-enterprise: the EU means Ireland participates in a open, single market, of 100 times our population. In 2006, we had merchandise exports of €57bn and services exports of €30bn with the rest of the EU. Service exports were up by over 30% over the previous three years. This is the measure of the importance of the Single Market to us.
We believe in free trade: the EU works for open trading opportunities globally. Ireland has a vital national interest in competing internationally in fair, open markets.
We believe in competition: the EU’s strong pro-competition policy is reaffirmed in the new Reform Treaty, with the key Articles 85 and 86 unchanged in the Treaty. Without these Articles, we would never had had so much competition to the benefit of consumers in air travel, telecommunications, health insurance, energy and other sectors.
We encourage investment: I said to the meeting on Saturday that, in my opinion as a former Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, very few, even none, of the new international companies investing in Ireland would have come here if we had not offered full access to the EU single market. Our low corporation tax rate of 12.5% is essential and we will certainly keep it. But it is equally essential that this is a low tax rate within the EU, and with Ireland fully involved in EU policy-making in any areas that affect it. The new Treaty will not change our corporation tax rate and our ability to promote it in any way.
Ireland is working to create new, higher value jobs and opportunities on the basis of Research and Development – and the EU is supporting Irish research with investment of €600 million over the next 6 years.
We need to continue to build new infrastructure: European funds continue to support that.
The European Social Fund continues to help us create job opportunities for our people through training, skills improvement and removing barriers to employment.
We need efficient, reliable, clean energy supplies: working in the EU we can develop a secure and competitive energy market.
In short, the pro-market position is Yes. The pro-competition position is Yes. The pro-enterprise, pro-jobs position is Yes.
Those who claim the free market, pro-competition position entails a No vote are totally wrong. A No vote would do absolutely nothing to advance jobs, enterprise and opportunity for Irish people and Irish enterprise in Europe.
Together with the other Member States in the European Union, we are making progress in many areas.
In health alone, the Union is playing a critical role in areas like medicines safety, food safety and pandemic planning that Ireland could not possibly do alone.
Our consumer rights are being enhanced by European policy in areas like mobile phone charges and travel.
Environmental protection and dealing with climate change are best done with Member States working together effectively through EU institutions.
There is plenty more work underway in the Single Market, for example, to allow consumers access a European-wide mortgage market and to create a more transparent, competitive financial services market.
But the EU does need some new rules and new ways of doing business to be ever more effective. Every organisation needs to review its rules and procedures to adjust to new realities.
These rules are important, but let’s not lose sight of the essentials. Let’s remember the freedoms at the heart of the European Union: freedom of people to move across the continent, freedom to do business in this great market, freedom to invest in opportunities continentally. The new Treaty will allow us develop policies to advance all these freedoms.
The fact is, Europe is our home. Our task is to build Europe as our land of opportunity – working from within, not by walking out, or by holding up reform.
I can’t think of one organisation or political body where the naysayer and the dog in the manger earns respect or actually gets things done. In the EU, as in every organisation, influence comes from being a team player. In this way, Ireland’s influence can continue to be greater than our size to the benefit of both Ireland and Europe.
For all these reasons and more, the Progressive Democrats will enthusiastically campaign for a Yes vote, because voting Yes is the path to continued opportunity and prosperity for Irish and European people.
We look forward to an active, open and energetic campaign on all the issues and we are determined to play our part at all levels.
ENDS
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Originally Posted by Fingrala
defo my favourite.....
