Mary Lou McDonald

Mary Lou slams McCreevy scaremongering if EU treaty rejected

MARY LOU McDonald has questioned the motivation behind comments by EU Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy that Ireland would be left out in the cold if it does not ratify the EU Reform Treaty.
Describing McCreevy’s comments as “farcical” and “without merit”, the Dublin Sinn Féin MEP pointed out that the French and Dutch people rejected the Reform Treaty’s predecessor, the EU Constitution, “and the world of the EU kept spinning”.
Mary Lou said that the fact remains that all the major EU players have agreed that the content of the Reform Treaty differs little from its much-maligned forerunner, which was in fact put to only four referendums out of the 27 member states. Two voted for and two countries against.
The Dublin MEP added:
“Perhaps Mr McCreevy cares little for the best interests of the Irish people and more so for his party colleague, Bertie Ahern, who is now looking to become President of the European Council when he steps down from Irish politics. This job will not actually exist unless the Reform Treaty is passed.
“Naturally, as Commissioner of the EU’s Internal Market, Mr McCreevy’s political objective is to accelerate the liberalisation of our public services and to ensure as many as possible of our national decision-making powers are moved to Europe.
“Both will be achieved if the EU Reform Treaty comes into legal being.”
What is needed, she said, is “a grown-up and robust debate” during the EU Reform Treaty campaign.
“The Irish people deserve better than the type of low-brow scaremongering tactics illustrated by Charlie McCreevy.”