Noonan rejects Ahern’s Forum on Europe
The Fine Gael leader, Michael Noonan today told Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern that he and his party will not participate in the Government’s planned National Forum on Europe.
Stressing Fine Gael’s wholehearted commitment to EU membership and expansion, Mr. Noonan spelled out his objections to the Taoiseach’s plan which he said is significantly different from what was envisaged in the Dáil a month ago.
He said the Forum now on offer from Mr. Ahern attempts to lock the political process into an expensive 3-year talking shop that is under no obligation to reach agreement on anything.
"I am prepared to participate in a meaningful, focused debate over a three month period which would result in an agreed report to form the basis for a second referendum on the Nice Treaty", he said.
Mr. Noonan said he would not participate in the Taoiseach’s Forum as its only function appears to be to hide the Government’s three conflicting positions on Europe.
In a letter to Mr. Ahern, Michael Noonan said that while Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen hold a position in line with Fine Gael’s EU thinking, Mary Harney, Charlie McCreevy, and Michael McDowell oppose changes in the EU institutional and constitutional framework.
He said their position reflects Margaret Thatcher’s celebrated Bruges speech of 1988.
Meanwhile, the third group, led by Síle de Valera and Éamonn Ó Cuív, has adopted the rhetoric of traditional nationalism, dressed in right-wing Euro-sceptical clothes.
Mr. Noonan told the Taoiseach that these openly expressed differences are best resolved within Government rather than in a forum involving opposition political parties.
Mr. Noonan said: "Participating in Bertie Ahern’s forum would undermine Irish democracy which is best served by public debate in the Houses of the Oireachtas. It would put the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs in a position to dodge all questions on Europe in the Dáil."
"My understanding then is that we would work together in a short-term forum which would seek to find as much consensus as possible on how we might move forward against the background of the outcome of the Nice Referendum."
The Fine Gael leader said the type of consensus sought by Bertie Ahern’s forum would undermine Irish democracy which is best served by public debate in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
It would put the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen in a position to dodge all questions on Europe in the Dáil over the next three years when crucial issues relating to Ireland and Europe are going to be raised.
He warned against the level of consensus in politics today because it makes the Dáil redundant and stifles debate on important issues.
"Even the current Programme for Prosperity and Fairness is too narrowly based and should take account of issues such as effective health and education services," he said.
He questioned the Government’s track record on consensus and criticised them for failing to implement the key elements of the all-party approach on issue of abortion.
"Here is a case where the Government accepted an all-party backed Fine Gael proposal to create and fund a £50m project to reduce the number of crisis pregnancies and the rate of abortion."
"Despite the widespread support for this position, you have ignored it and taken no action. This discourages Fine Gael from investing time and energy in working with you to achieve consensus on other issues."
