How Donegal voted yesterday
In the Donegal South West constituency, the No vote was carried by a mere 171 votes out of 31,544 cast. Nationally, there was a massive ‘Yes’ vote in favour of the Lisbon Referendum.
Electorate 61,674
Total Poll 31,544
Spoilt Votes 127
Total valid Poll 31,417
Votes cast in favour of the Proposal (YES) 15,623 (49.7%)
Votes cast against the Proposal 15,794 (50.3%)
Lisbon Treaty voting has started
There has been a slow start to voting in the North West this morning, with a turnout of about 5% reported in booths in counties Donegal, Sligo and leitrim. The Irish referendum is a repeat of last year’s referendum which saw the Irish electorate vot against the Lisbon Treaty, but much has changed in the interim, including the advent of the global recession, which hit the Irish particularly bad.
The Donegal islands voted on Wednesday. Polling commenced at 10am this morning and will continue until 10pm this evening.
Counting starts tomorrow morning at 9am in Donegal North East, Donegal South and Sligo/North Leitrim.
Last time out, both the Donegal constituencies recorded some iof the highest no votes.
Only Dublin South west recorded a higher No vote than Donegal North East while Donegal south west, the home of the Tanaiste recorded the fifth highest no vote in last year’s first running of the referendum. .
Despite the assurances given in Donegal on Saturday, Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowen seems to be unable to get the monkey off his back, that is called Fas, the state employment agency.
He said that all the procedures had been dealt with properly in terms of how the former head of Fas, Rody Molloy left his post.
Initially the talk was that Mr Molloy had indicated legal action, if his severance package was not boosted but this theory, has been put to rest, by the Taoiseach himself.
So why extra money, when part of the cloud that pertained in Fas, that caused the resignation in the first place, was about extravagant expenses that had existed in the organisation.
Who negotiated the severance package and who signed off on it?
Beside the Taoiseach in Donegal was his number two, the Irish Deputy Prime Minister and Tanaiste Mary Coughlan, who has been getting a torrid time herself, over this and other controversies of the past week.
Many politicians and elements of the national media have called into question her ability to continue in this role, after she appeared to indicate last week, during Leaders Question in the Dail, that she was not happy with aspects of the McCarthy report – An Bord Snip Nua.
Meanwhile, there is the ‘small’ matter of an Irish referendum vote on Friday, as the Irish people have been asked to support the Lisbon Treaty, something that they rejected just over twelve months ago.
This time around, assurances have been given that concerns such as Irish neutrality, tax issues and an Irish EU Commissioner, have been dealt with.
The last thing needed is a Fas side show that could be sorted out in five minutes, if someone stood up and did some straight talking on the matter.
Lisbon Treaty No call by UNITE
“A No vote is needed to prevent Irish and European workers rights being ignored by our own government and dismantled by the European Courts, said Jimmy Kelly, Regional Secretary of UNITE.
The union was one of the leading opponents of the treaty in 2008 and its opposition second time around is based on the lack of any progress in the critical area of workers rights. The union has held meetings with officials, workplace representatives and shop stewards all around the country. “The response from our members in every county has been one of support for the workers rights agenda. Nobody wants to see the gains made over many decades being subjected to the whim of the European Court as has been the case in recent judgements.
“We are told by government and even by some trade unions that workers rights will be protected under Lisbon and that we are scare-mongering, but when the Irish government went seeking legal guarantees they got them in areas of taxation, of morality, and in numbers of commissioners but not in relation to workers rights.”
“In relation to workers rights all we got a ‘solemn declaration’ that is worthless given the way in which the European Courts have interpreted those rights as being subservient to the needs of business.”
“We are asked to have faith in our own government, that they will bring forward legislation that will protect Irish workers. We say today that we are fed up waiting for this legislation and that we have no faith in this government’s ability or even willingness to deliver.”
“Irish workers are alone in Europe as having no legal right to representation by a union. Irish workers are alone in Europe as having no provision for pension protection. Irish workers are alone in Europe as the only ones whose right to fair pay and employment security are considered by their government as obstacles to economic recovery.”
“UNITE and colleagues across Europe sought the inclusion of a social progress clause in the Lisbon Treaty which would make it clear that the fundamental right to organise and the right to strike are in no way subordinate to the economic freedoms pursued by the EU member states.”
“This was rejected prior to the first referendum and ignored again prior to this second. Voting yes to Lisbon in the face of this would enshrine Irish workers lack of fair treatment as being alright in the eyes of Irish politicians and of the Irish people. EU institutions would continue to follow a business over labour ideology which is too loaded against workers all across Europe.”
“Lisbon is not about Ireland’s place in the EU. UNITE fully supports the vital role which Europe plays in the everyday lives of Irish citizens.”
“Fourteen months ago the Irish people stood up for the rights of working people all across Europe. We earned the right to go back to the EU and to clarify and secure elements of the workings of the Union that are essential to get right.”
“The Irish government emerged from that meeting waving a paper about the legally binding nature of what they had got in some areas, despite having said prior to the vote that nothing could be changed.”
“In the area of workers rights however, there was a singular failure to secure the clause that would prevent social dumping and second class treatment of workers.”
“For that reason we are recommending to all of our members that they should reject Lisbon once again, and we are encouraging fellow trade union members to do likewise.”
Pat the Cope Gallagher MEP
Irish MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher has rubbished the latest anti Lisbon leaflets being distributed throughout the North West as “made up nonsense by far right British group who would love nothing more than to scrap the EU.” The leaflets have been distributed throughout Connacht/ Ulster at a cost of thousands of euro to the British nationalist UK Independence Party.
“These leaflets really are a new low in the Lisbon Treaty Referendum campaign,” said Pat the Cope. “In Ireland we like to debate on what is actually being voted on, not made up nonsense. They may get away with these type of tactics in Britain but I doubt anyone from the North West would fall for this rubbish.”
“Irish people like to be treated with respect. We are not fools and we know when people are trying to manipulate us. Particularly when we have these British groups coming over here and telling us to vote against a Treaty that is clearly in our interests.”
“This leaflet is the nastiest, most deceptive piece of literature ever distributed in an Irish referendum. Every page is designed to paint the EU as an organisation which is out to destroy all that the Irish people hold dear. It tries to import the extreme anti-foreigner rhetoric of the British right to Ireland and scare a wide range of interest groups on issues like tax, euthanasia and property rights.
“The most extraordinary thing about this publication is that its true origins are missing. It does mention a parliamentary group which no one in the North West will have heard of, but this is purely and simply the UK Independence Party trying to distort our referendum to forward their own agenda. This is the party which has an extreme British nationalist agenda, yet it is now distributing a leaflet with our tricolour and claiming to promote our interests.”
“To anyone in the North West who receives this publication I say, don’t be fooled and don’t take anything on its face value. This is a dishonest attempt to promote an extreme anti-EU agenda which would do great damage to Ireland if it succeeds. I appeal to people who are concerned to avail of one of the many neutral sources that are available to clarify the situation,” Pat the Cope concluded.
Lisbon Treaty II will be a fascinating debate again
‘Confidence, certainty and stability are three ingredients the Irish economy needs to stop the rot and start growing again. A YES to Lisbon 2 on the 2nd of October is the best way each voter can delivery these vital ingredients to the Irish economy’, according to Ireland’s Futute.ie.
Ireland’s Future.ie (www.irelandsfuture.ie) is an independent civil society group dedicated to explaining what the Lisbon Treaty is all about and why it’s so important to our future.
Hopefully the economic measures taken by the government has already has begun the process that will lead to economic recovery. However as important as these economic measures are to restoring economic health to the Irish economy it is not the full solution.
The second piece of the puzzle that must be addressed is the direction in which the country is heading. That choice will be made by the Irish people when voting on Lisbon 2 on the 2nd of October.
Given that we have secured legal guarantees on the issues of concern to Irish voters at Lisbon 1 and the retention of our commission, it is vital for Ireland’s economic recovery that we vote YES to Lisbon 2.
A YES to Lisbon 2 would send a clear message both at home and abroad that Ireland’s pro-jobs, pro-employment, pro-growth policies are here to stay. A YES declares that Ireland knows where we are going: Ireland is remaining a full participant of the EU.
This clarity will reinforce the government’s economic recovery initiatives and so provide vital additional doses of confidence, certainty and stability to the Irish economy.
A No to a second Lisbon Treaty referendum which now addresses the concerns the Irish voters expressed in June 2008 would plunge the Irish economy further into turmoil and anxiety.
Confusion would reign in Ireland further undermining confidence in Ireland and the Irish economy will continue to falter. A NO result to Lisbon 2 is in not in the Irish people’s economic interest.
Ireland’s economic recovery will be greatly helped by a YES to Lisbon 2. Here are 3 Reasons why the Lisbon Treaty is good for Jobs and Employment:
1. Ireland will continue to be an attractive destination for Foreign Direct Investment, which drives economic growth and contributes to domestic demand, which is essential for all other domestically trading small businesses.
2. It will promote Ireland’s reputation as a good place to do business as we will be choosing to remain at the centre of the EU.
3. Ireland retains a veto on EU tax policy proposals. All EU tax policy proposals require support from all member states to come into force.
A YES to Lisbon 2 is a YES to economic recovery.
Senator Pearse Doherty
Sinn Fein senator Pearse Doherty has today called for an “honest and mature debate” on the Lisbon Treaty in the coming weeks. The Donegal representative also called on people to “read the treaty” before they
decide which way to vote on October 2nd.
Mr Doherty said:
“In the past week the public debate on the Lisbon Treaty has started to intensify with Yes and No campaigners, including Sinn Fein, laying out our stalls. Already a broad range of issues including the economy, neutrality, farming, fishing and democracy have been the subject of claim and counterclaim.
“Sinn Fein is calling on both the yes and no sides to engage in an open, honest and mature debate. Neither side is served by exaggerated or
unfounded claims. Nor is either side served by scaremongering.
“What is needed is a serious debate about the content of the Treaty and its implications for Ireland and the EU. Sinn Fein is committed to such a debate. Our approach will be to shine a light on the Treaty text and attempt to explain its meaning and implications.
“Those of us opposing the Treaty also have a responsibility to outline
what we see as the the alternatives to Lisbon. Saying no is simply not
enough.
“I am also urging the electorate to read the Treaty for themselves
before they decide how to vote on October 2. Despite being a complex
legal document, many of its sections are perfectly understandable to the
lay reader.
“This treaty will significantly alter the shape and direction of the EU for decades to come. It is vital that the general public are engaged in the debate and feel sufficiently informed to vote on October 2nd.
All protagonists in the debate, politicians, civic society, the government and the media have a responsibility in this regard. An honest and mature debate will lead to a more informed public and an increased turnout.”
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