The following are some ofmy reasons for voting NO

1)The EU is undemoctaric. The French, Dutch, Danish and Irish (twice) peoples have had NO votes circumvented or ignored. That has never happened for a YES vote. The Brits, also, have been robbed of a promised referendum on the Constitution/lisbon. 'Democracy' in the EU is heavily weighted towards one side.

2) I do not want a federal Europe. Our soverignty is being eronded, treaty by treatry. There is no future for a small island, floating off the west coast of Europe, in allowing mainland Europe to make importand decisions for us. We are less than 1% of the population of the EU (even less as it expands). Our voice will mean nothing.

3) EU leaders are short sighted and presumptuos. They allowed the EU to expand before having the structures in place to deal with that expansion, assuming we would do as we are told. Business leaders who behaved like this would be fired for imcompenence.
In short, I don't trust them and I think they are incompetant.

4) We are the only country allowed to have a referendum on the treaty, and ours also would have been bypassed, if possible. This is on purpose, as many countries would have failed to carry a referendum. The EU is belong to the people, not the politicions. They need to learn that.

5) Our government are telling us that the treaty is the best thing for Ireland, but giving no good reasons as to why. What do they know about what's best for us? They have flushed this country down the jacks.

6) The EU destroyed our sugar industry, just because they could, in the stroke of a pen. It served no good purpose to do so.

7) The EU banned duty free, just because they could, in the stroke of a pen. It served no good purpose to do so.

8) The EU now bans us from subsidising our troubled airlines, if we need to. We are an island nation ffs.

9) Our commisioner is specifically banned from representing his countrys interests. What the fukk is that about?

10) We are now sending social welfare to people in other EU countries, even if they have never set foot in this country.

Is that enough for you?

In summary EU integration has already gone too far. It's time to draw a line in the sand.

I'll be voting no to Lisbon and yes to FG at next GE (even with their scary energy plans).

Being part of the euro creates problems though. Divergent economic policies work against the success of the single currency. Either, like the US, there is a large central budget or failing that, the remote possibilty that all countries converge by fluke. Neither appeals to me.

Voting no is in the hope of two things - 1. reverting back just to the EFTA, painful though would be the abandonment of the euro or 2. sending out the message that the EU should be like Hayek's vision of a small govt. federation.

I admire the views of the UK's Dan Hannan, Tim Worstall, Patrick Minford and Gwyn Prins.

Is it ok to mention these foreigners or will I get ran off this site?

Their votes have not been ignored or we wouldn't be having this referendum

We don't float. We're stationary. But what does any if this mean anyway?

Ok. So do you think we should withdraw from the EU
Politicians are selected in elections. What politicians should be elected to negotiate better treaties?
And can you point out the esteeemed would be leader that will flush us up if we vote no?
Just because they could. cause that's what they do. They sit around places finding ways to annoy you just because they do
It did. In a single market it's just a shop
You don't get open airways when you are allowed to give bailouts to one player
Because he's a European Commissioner not an Irish one
As they do to us
Yes it really is
Yes. Now back to the Lisbon Treaty.....

The French and Dutch voted on the EU Constitution, Lisbon was ratified by them according to their own internal and legal rules. Ireland said No to Lisbon due to the lies of SF and the unelected, unaccountable, secretly funded Libertas.

The Constitution may have advanced a federal Europe, however Lisbon does not. There is no future for a small island, dependent on exports, being outside the EU.

EU leaders are all elected by their respective voters, they all have to face a general election every 4 or 5 years.

Nothing to do with being 'allowed'; all Countries ratify according to their own legal rules. Are you seriously suggesting we meddle in other Country's raficifation methods? The EU does indeed belong to the people, who directly elect their politicans to represent them.

As does every major political pary, as do all business groups, as do the farming groups, as do most unions. Lisbon has nothing to do with the way FF successfully, or otherwise, ran the economy. Your 'logic' is to destroy the Country just because you disagree with one political party's economic policy!?!

Instead we have free movement of people, goods and capital in a market of 500 million people, essential for country, lke Ireland, dependent on exports.

Wrong

Quite correctly they are, thats how the EU works, or have you missed the last 36 years?

And any Irish person is entitled to exactly the same in any of the other 26 EU Countries, plus you forget that the Irish have been leaving these shores for over 150 years. The benefits of being in an open market of 500 million people far, far outweigh any downside. The real answer is actually nothing to do with the EU, its to cut our far too high welfare rates.

You're wrong on that last count - children's allowance payments were until about four years ago only payable in respect of children resident in the State - it was broadened as an enticement to EU accessionist immigrants as far as I can make out, and no; Irish workers on the continent are not entitled to any payments in respect of their children remaining here.

The benefits of being in an open market of 500 million people far, far outweigh any downside.
Thes benefits exist only for those who wish to have a continental operation for their businesses.
For the other 99 % of the population, the open market has meant erosion of employment standards, job losses and wage freezes and cuts incl. the possibilty of an impending reduction in the minimum wage.

Are you an FFer ?
If so, your parties attempst to re-invigorate a new housing bubble by bankrupting the country with indefinite welfare payments to what need only have been a transient and temporary migration of workers renders any comments you have to make on the welfare situation here redundant.
Along with every other issue in relation to the EU & Lisbon, for that matter.

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Times are Hard at Berlin's Pussy Club

Incorrect. Childrens Allowance was not and is not payable to Children living outside the state. What i think you are referring to was the new Childcare Payment which was introduced a couple of years back. it's allowed because it's a payment to the parent who resides in the state rather than the child who doesn't

Irish people are still entitled to the respective member state's dole payment. Perhaps a few million is spent on children's allowance, however there will be fundamental changes to this in next budget; plus you need to look at the bigger picture and the benefits passing Lisbon gives to Ireland.

Yes it is - I spent years dealing with it; the forms originally had a proviso about residency which was removed, about four - five years ago.
I processed thousands of these payments for eastern european men who's children who remained in their native land.

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Times are Hard at Berlin's Pussy Club

Yes, because I cannot stand the idea of having to do it for a 3rd time 15 months after next Oct.

Good man, stick to the Party line. And such an informative and well thought out one it is.

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