Knowing your Nice

BY ROBBIE MacGABHANN

Nine weeks to Nice Treaty referendum day might seem like more than enough time to get acquainted with the issues flowing from this new EU accord. However, there is still no guarantee of a fair referendum with proper funding for the No campaign, even though Sinn Féin's Sean MacManus and others have called for steps to taken to ensure there will be a balanced and fair debate.

So where do you go outside of the established print media for information? Two excellent web sites are offering hugely informative and easily accessible information on the Nice Treaty debate. One is run from Ireland by the National Platform for Democracy and Neutrality at www.nationalplatform.org and the second is a webpaper called EUobserver.com. The National Platform's campaigning position is for ``a Europe of free nations, not a single EU state''.

The National Platform site is filled with links to EU-related sites across the continent and a huge amount of information analysis and just general comment on the Nice Treaty. Perhaps the most telling section is the Eurosceptics page.

It is here that we read of former Fine Gael leader John Bruton's comments on Nice. Bruton said: ``This is one of the weakest negotiating outcomes achieved by an Irish Government in the European forum since Ireland joined the Union.'' Highlighting the impact of the Nice Treaty on European democracy, Bruton said: ``It has been truthfully stated that one of the outcomes of Nice was to enhance the position of the bigger states in decision-making. At a time when the European Union is being enlarged to take in a lot of small countries, some of which already doubt whether they should join, what sense does it make to increase the voting strength of the big countries? Very little.''

There is also a comment from Labour leader Ruairi Quinn. He is quoted as saying that the Nice Treaty was ``a disaster'', and that ``it is an appalling set back.

``Not only will Ireland's interests be damaged, but those of every small state.''

The quotes from Bruton and Quinn are taken from Leinster House debates on the Nice Treaty and it is information and comment like this that makes this site worth spending more than a little time on. You can also subscribe to the National Platform's mailing list. If you want to be informed about the Nice Treaty, this site is a must.

EUobserver.com is an independent Web site published in cooperation with the Group for a Europe of Democracies and Diversities in the European Parliament. This Web paper offers a huge amount of comment and analysis of European issues from outside the British and Irish perspective that most of us are dependent on for news services.

It has huge content spread throughout a well made site. There is even a section on the referendum in the 26 Counties.

It is even possible to download the text of the Treaty, though you need Adobe Acrobat Reader to do this. Actually, reading the text of this treaty is crucial and it is some indictment of the referendum process that hard copies are not yet available in Ireland.

MacManus demands fair referendum funding

The Mayor of Sligo, Sinn Féin Alderman Sean MacManus, has called on the Dublin government to ensure that there is a balanced debate matched by equal funding for both sides campaigning in the referendum on the Treaty of Nice, which the government has said will now go ahead before the summer.

MacManus, Sinn Féin's spokesperson on EU affairs and neutrality, also criticised the government for plans to hold three other referenda on the same day in what he claimed is ``a blatant attempt to confuse the issues involved, confuse the electorate when they go to cast their vote and make the work of the Referendum Commission more difficult. It's clear that the government are worried they may not win this referendum and are willing to act in an underhand manner to ensure victory. There have never been four totally unrelated referenda held on the same day and it is not too late for the government to pull back from this and allow the Treaty of Nice referendum to be held separately.''

``The government should immediately set up the Referendum Commission to allow for a balanced debate and for the equal funding of both sides of the debate. The issues involved are extremely complex and have major implications for the future of this country and of Europe as a whole and as such the sooner this debate begins in earnest the better.''