Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Yes, but I will not list them in case any is present.

The Government must secure changes to the treaty to create greater levels of openness, transparency and accountability in the Council and the Commission if it is to be acceptable to those who believe in such values in government and the way in which we carry out our business. While we strive to achieve those changes, we are closing the door in the European Union through this treaty.

The Government must resist further powers being transferred to the European Union, as there is no logical reason for many of the competences listed to be transferred. The decision-making process has not hindered decisions being made and we should be able to continue reaching agreements by consensus, but such will not be the case if the Government continues along the path on which it embarked in recent treaties. It must also resist the further extension and dilution of QMV.

Tá buairt orainn faoin creimeadh leanúnach atá a dhéanamh ar neodracht na Stáit seo, chomh maith leis an claonadh míleata atá á chuir ar pholasaithe eachtrannach agus cosanta na tíre agus na hEorpa i gcoitinne. Labhraíomar faoi seo go leanúnach sa Dáil deiridh agus roimhe sin, nuair a bhíomar ag déileáil leis na reafrainn éagsúla.

Sinn Féin has shown its deep concern for the ongoing erosion of Irish neutrality and the militarisation of our foreign and defence policies via previous treaties. We have opposed an EU army, the rapid reaction force, Partnership for Peace and the battle groups because each has marked a further erosion of our neutrality. Rather than promoting and ensuring the full support and resourcing of the United Nations in carrying out such actions, the European Union has gone the other way towards creating its own mechanisms and militarised force, namely, battle groups.

Unfortunately, the draft treaty accelerates the creation of a common foreign and security policy. This has consequences for our neutrality, contribution to EU military budgets and co-operation or opposition to military interventions taken by the European Union or groups of member states. The Government has an opportunity to argue for a stronger defence of Irish neutrality to be enshrined in the treaty. It must opt out of making financial contributions to the European Defence Agency or any other area of military expenditure.

In recent years the direction of EU economic policy has been increasingly right wing, promoting privatisation, liberalisation and low public spending. All of this promotes a race to the bottom, an Irish Ferries approach to economic policy. Despite a commitment to promoting environmental sustainability and social cohesion in the Lisbon strategy, the European Union has failed to support or promote these important goals adequately. As a consequence, many of the social protections built up by the Union during the 1980s are being dismantled. Governments have less power to intervene to save industries in crisis and less room to pursue policies aimed at significant wealth redistribution. The economic implications of the treaty are an acceleration of this trend, further imbedding an economic policy that is detrimental to public services and that will actively promote greater levels of inequality and poverty across the European Union. There is a clear move towards greater harmonisation of taxation across the Union with significant decisions already taken regarding VAT and corporation tax. The Government must promote public services and oppose the privatisation proposed in the treaty.

The European Union is one of the world's major political and economic blocks and its decisions have profound consequences for the developing world. It has a significant responsibility to promote global equality, trade justice and conflict resolution. Unfortunately, its priorities in recent years have been directed towards policies that are detrimental to all of these aims.

Sinn Féin is on record as stating it will support any EU initiative that strengthens human rights protections for the citizens of member states. Where such proposals are tabled, our MEPs are vocal in their support. We were disappointed by the text of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the draft constitution, as it added no new rights protections for citizens and provided no mechanisms for monitoring and promoting compliance or investigating or punishing breaches. While the text has been removed from the draft reform treaty, its inclusion in Article 6 does not change the status, thus making it clear that no new powers are added as a result of its inclusion.

Tá súil agam go mbeidh deis againn teacht ar ais chuig seo an seachtain seo chugainn, nuair a táimid ag déileáil le seo. Tá súil agam go mbeidh díospóireacht ceart againn, mar gheall ar gach uile gné den chonradh.

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