Dooley calls on PANA to back Lisbon Treaty following neutrality guarantees

Clare TD Timmy Dooley has called on the Peace and Neutrality Alliance to back the forthcoming Lisbon Treaty Referendum and encourage their supporters to vote Yes.  Deputy Dooley pointed to the neutrality guarantees secured by the Irish Government ahead of the Lisbon Referendum and referred to PANA’s stated position that there would be a ‘Yes’ vote if such a guarantee was secured. 

“Earlier this year the Peace and Neutrality Alliance said there would be a “Yes” vote on Lisbon if there was a legal guarantee on neutrality. We got that guarantee.  Ireland will retain its right to neutrality if Lisbon is passed.”

“In April, the same alliance urged us to insist on a protocol. We got that too. Let me quote from our legally-binding guarantee, soon to be enshrined in a protocol. It states:“The Treaty of Lisbon does not affect or prejudice Ireland’s traditional policy of military neutrality . . . The Treaty of Lisbon does not provide for the creation of a European army or for conscription to any military formation . . . It does not affect the right of Ireland to determine the nature and volume of its defence and security expenditure.” 

“That means no European army; no conscription; and no obligation to increase our defence spending. These represent important, explicit assurances.”“Given past statements by PANA about these guarantees I hope they will join us in urging a Yes vote for the forthcoming Lisbon Treaty referendum.”

“Fair-minded people will, I believe, see that we have put to rest the various concerns about defence and security that surfaced last year so surely any other position adapted by PANA would be highly hypocritical."