Lisbon Debate: I want YOUR questions!

leggo

Hi guys,

Apologies if this is in the wrong section of the boards.

I'll be interviewing Labour TD, Joan Burton, and Dublin West Sinn Fein rep, Paul Donnelly, tonight (Wednesday 30th September) for the radio show that I do on Dublin 15's 92.5 Phoenix FM. The interview will also be put online for free download afterwards.

The show is aimed at the 18-24 generation. And the premise of the interview is that I do not have a clue about what I'm being asked to vote on this Friday. And I'm sure many people in my age feel the same. So I want answers in plain, easy-to-understand English. No political jargon, no BS.

This is your chance to ask people in the know about the vote where YOU can potentially decide the future of Europe. So it's an ideal opportunity to get any confusion out of the way. Especially with this Treaty...it goes without saying that there's no such thing as a bad question. So please use this opportunity to have your say.

You can reply here, PM me or text our studio at (085) 70 70 925.

And I'll post a link to the interview here afterwards so you can listen to your question being answered. But I'll need the questions by about 9.30pm to ensure that I can have them ready to be asked.

Thanks.

ei.sdraob

ok

ask the Sinn Fein rep

"
how Sinn Fein and the NO side can claim and keep claiming that the Lisbon Guarantees are not legally binding, when infact they carry as much weight legally as the Good Friday Agreement
"


Thanks!

Red_Marauder

ask the yes side how exactly does voting for a reduction in the influence of smaller countries like ourselves actually increase our influence?
It's like Alice in Wonderland stuff, where yes means no.

Will a yes decision be rememberd 6 months, a year, a decade down the line when we have diminshed our power? Where is the role for a 'goodwill change-of-mind vote' in a serious legal treaty? How did the Danes suffer under attempting to block Masstricht? How did the French and Dutch Suffer under their attemtpt to block this EU constituation?

Boskowski

Ask whether they believe this is a significant step towards a political union rather than consolidating an economical union?
Then ask if it was a step towards a political union do they believe it will provide a good democratic foundation for such a union or does it not have democratic deficiencies?

On the off chance you take this and you get this far and they ask 'what deficiencies'?
Ask them what about the parliament under Lisbon being effectively castrated with regards to controlling the legislation process?

Boskowski

Oh hold on. I missed the 18-24 bit.

Ask them if I vote 'yes' will the volume on my iPod be capped?

SCNR

Sam Vimes

Red_Marauder wrote: »

ask the yes side how exactly does voting for a reduction in the influence of smaller countries like ourselves actually increase our influence?
It's like Alice in Wonderland stuff, where yes means no.

Our composite voting weight increases slightly under Lisbon. don't believe the lies

Hippo

Sam Vimes wrote: »

Our composite voting weight increases slightly under Lisbon. don't believe the lies

Forget it Sam, there's no point in trying to explain anything to them

MeatProduct

Hippo wrote: »

Forget it Sam, there's no point in trying to explain anything to them

"Them", the human ability for polarity consciousness is a wonderous thing. Sure people are frustrated but drawing a line in the sand with an us vs them attitude helps absolutely no one.

Dinner

Can Sinn Fein realistically call themselves 'pro-Europe' when they have opposed every EU Treaty?

Also, does anyone have a link to the pre Nice 2 press release where Gerry Adams was foretelling that Nice would erode Irelands Neutrality and turn us into a European superstate?

It would be interesting to hear what Paul Donnelly's response to the claims that Adams made that have not come to pass and are instead being recycled for this current campaign.

ShooterSF

Can you ask if Lisbon is passed and each country still gets to put forward a commissioner to the commission, can Ireland, without need for a referendum, in agreement with all other states overturn that decision? Therefore making the guarantee to keep "our" commissioner a guarantee to the Irish government and not necessarily the Irish people they represent.

ei.sdraob

ShooterSF wrote: »

Can you ask if Lisbon is passed and each country still gets to put forward a commissioner to the commission, can Ireland, without need for a referendum, in agreement with all other states overturn that decision? Therefore making the guarantee to keep "our" commissioner a guarantee to the Irish government and not necessarily the Irish people they represent.

he is not "our" commissioner

ei.sdraob

Dinner wrote: »

Also, does anyone have a link to the pre Nice 2 press release where Gerry Adams was foretelling that Nice would erode Irelands Neutrality and turn us into a European superstate?

http://www.sinnfein.org/releases/01/pr010205.html

ixtlan

Sam Vimes wrote: »

Our composite voting weight increases slightly under Lisbon. don't believe the lies

Indeed. Honestly it may be interesting for people to hear how the voting is calculated. It's not that hard. I think it can be explained in less than a minute.

I've been dreaming of being on a panel and saying to a Sinn Fein person "So all the states vote, Ireland gets 0.8% and if there's over 50% in favour it's passed. Is that correct?"

Ix

ShooterSF

ei.sdraob wrote: »

he is not "our" commissioner

I agree. Hence the inverted commas. However a large percentage of our population would prefer we continue to put one forward. I like yourself am in the minority on this point.
Therefore my question still stands.

ei.sdraob

ShooterSF wrote: »

I agree. Hence the inverted commas. However a large percentage of our population would prefer we continue to put one forward. I like yourself am in the minority on this point.
Therefore my question still stands.

Since the "guarantee" (like the rest of them) is a legal international document on the same level as Good Friday Agreement

it can not be reversed

so your question is along the lines of mine earlier

8-10

Dinner wrote: »

It would be interesting to hear what Paul Donnelly's response to the claims that Adams made that have not come to pass and are instead being recycled for this current campaign.

I would also like this question to be asked please.

Euro_Kraut

To SF: Sinn Fein opposed Ireland entry into the EU in 1973. Does the party regret this decision or do they still believe it was a bad idea to enter? Since they have oppossed every EU treaty since, do they not believe we would be better to pull out.

To Labour: Last time the majority of your party voted against the Treaty. Is you leadership of of tune with it members and why are were your members so opposed to the Treaty?

ShooterSF

ei.sdraob wrote: »

Since the "guarantee" (like the rest of them) is a legal international document on the same level as Good Friday Agreement

it can not be reversed

so your question is along the lines of mine earlier

Are you posting your opinion as fact or do you know something the rest of us don't?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055692138

Hippo

MeatProduct wrote: »

"Them", the human ability for polarity consciousness is a wonderous thing. Sure people are frustrated but drawing a line in the sand with an us vs them attitude helps absolutely no one.

It's 'wondrous'. For polarising influences, you might perhaps examine Declan Ganley or Sinn Fein.

prinz

For Sinn Féin: Where does Mary Lou McDonald get the apples to go on RTE and bemoan the erosion of Irish 'neutrality' and 'military expenditure' when for years they condoned the illegal purchasing of, importing of, and use of arms to be used against Irish and foreign citizens?

leggo

Thanks to all who took part. This thread was essential in formulating a lot of the questions asked. Apologies if I didn't get a chance to cover your issue...we could have gone on for an extra hour but time ran out.

Killian Forde kindly stepped in to replace Paul Donnelly, who had a family emergency and had to cancel at the last minute.

Hope this clears up some of your queries anyway:
http://angermanagement.podbean.com/2009/10/01/the-lisbon-treaty-debate/

Thanks again guys!

ei.sdraob

wow the SF guy is such a liar

"We are pro EU"

:rolleyes:


yeh sure, considering SF campaigned against every single EU Treaty and including joining the EU

/

ShooterSF

ei.sdraob wrote: »

wow the SF guy is such a liar

"We are pro EU"

:rolleyes:


yeh sure, considering SF campaigned against every single EU Treaty and including joining the EU

/

Should I hold my breath on you answering my question above?

---

On the show itself. The big shock point to me was the Yes side debater (From Labour) claiming that the first consequence of a no vote would be a general election. Let me repeat that, she was in no way provoked or lead to that statement. She genuinely believes it will happen (if a note vote happens obviously).