Dublin South East Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Reviving the EU Constitution will not address the democratic deficit says Cllr. Doolan

Published: 30 November, 2006

Sinn Féin's Dublin Spokesperson on European Affairs Cllr. Daithi Doolan has today rejected the idea that the European Parliament is addressing the democratic deficit experienced by citizens throughout the EU. Cllr. Doolan's comments were made in response to European Parliament President Josep Borrell Fontelle's key note address to the National Forum on Europe in Dublin Castle.

Cllr. Doolan said,
"Following last years rejection by the Dutch & French people of the EU Constitution the European Parliament made a commitment to engage in a period of reflection' with it citizens. But this process never even got off the ground. Instead the perplexed & confused European political elite met in Government buildings in Finland, France & Germany to plan the resurrection of the much maligned treaty. Far from consulting with it's citizens governments across Europe have rode ruff shod over the democratic will of the people. The proposed EU Constitution has been rejected yet at next month's EU leader's summit Finnish Prime Minister and current EU President Matti Vanhanen will present the results of a consultation process that he and his Finish colleagues have secretly completed at a ministerial level throughout the EU in an effort to revive the EU Constitution. This process puts the treaty back on the political agenda in a big way. Germany will take the reigns of the EU Presidency on January 1st and it is expected Finland's preparatory work will be the foundation upon which Chancellor Angela Merkel will produce a road map for the restored treaty to be adopted by EU leaders before the conclusion of her Presidency in June 2007."

In 2007, running parallel with the discussions on the Constitution behind closed Government doors, the Europe for Citizens' 215 million euro programme will be rolled out by the European Commission. It is claimed by the programme agency that the initiative will be a bridge building exercise between citizens and the EU.

Cllr. Doolan concluded
"The European Parliament in collusion with the unelected EU Commission refuses to engage in any meaningful democratic process with its citizens. Sinn Féin suggests that the best way Josep Borrell Fontelles and the EU Parliament can address the democratic deficit is by respecting the will of the Dutch and French people who have consigned the EU Constitution to history. We also propose that the 215 million euro budgeted for marketing the revived Constitution is invested in participative democratic structures at a community level throughout the union engaging in a productive dialogue between people and parliament."