Re: Ireland rejects Nice treaty

["nigel_irritable" <mmcdon@xxxxxx>]

> From: Paul Flewers <hatchet.job@xxxxxxxxxx>
> To: marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: Ireland rejects Nice treaty
> Date: 11 June 2001 10:13
>
> There could also be a chauvinist streak behind some people's rejection of
> the Nice Treaty.

There certainly was. If we are honest, the left campaigns against the
treaty accept that some of the No vote was won by the arguments of the
right wing No campaign. That doesn't mean that the vote wasn't still a
massive victory for the left.

> European Union grants have played a big part in turning
> Ireland from an agricultural backwater into a much more modern country.
The
> argument could be posed that letting into the EU more impoverished states
> like Poland, etc, could mean a reduction in EU finance to Ireland.

I think you  may be a little behind the times, comrade. Ireland at this
stage has a higher GDP per capita than most countries in the EU, including
say Britain. There was little fear of the EU lowering its aid to Ireland.
Ireland will be a net contributor in any case. The right wing monetary
concern was more to do with just how much Ireland would be paying out.

Is mise le meas,
Brian Cahill