Cowen versus Ganley: Requiem

Monday, September 14

By Eanna Kelly

"Fear can hold you prisoner…hope can set you free"

Okay, I am being a little hyperbolic, but the Lisbon Treaty….just got interesting! Declan Ganley- the moral arbiter of the nation- is back! Cue the ‘hissing’ from the Yes campaigners and the 'hoorahs' from the No campaigners. For the No-ites, he is the champion pitted against the evil elites and for the Yes-ites he is a pesky non-conforming rogue. Ganley’s web-page espouses a ‘fight for democracy’- who will follow him this time?

I am undecided on how to vote. Soundbites swirl around me and create a nauseating effect. I have not proceeded through the mist and reached a point where I can discern what is fear-mongering drivel and what is fact. For instance, does "a cohesive European voice on the world stage" mean ‘imperialist military superstate’?? I have a lot of questions to ask Jeeves.

My biggest problem is crippling laziness. The Lisbon text is there to be read- although I am informed that it is virtually unintelligible- so I have the opportunity to get informed. Whilst talking to my friends on the issue, I usually prefer to borrow other people’s words….that is to say I have not put in any ground work of my own.

I can break it down to a simple rationale: Yes, Europe has made Ireland stronger; it has provided us with plenty. There are niggling nuggets of information floating around, though, that I cannot ignore…is Europe heading towards a more federalist structure, and is such a thing desirable? The Commission already has large independent powers...will these be successfully harnessed in the future?

Coupled with these doubts, I have a slight anarchistic naughtiness playing in my head, specifically, what would happen if the No vote passed?? I can envisage Michael Martin entering a room full of expectant European elites, eyes lowered, an apologetic shrug followed by awkward dialogue: "The Irish electorate huh, bunch of cheeky scamps, what are we going to do with them??" I mean, were the No vote passed, we would certainly face a dwindling level of respect and, more importantly, power. Sarkozy and co. already alienate the minnows of Europe with their G5 and G6 meetings; such ostracising is bound to continue.

For the moment though, my message is simple: trust no one! Civil war values are back- members of my family are expressing fixed viewpoints and are expectant that I will comply. My quest for truth and virtue continues...