The network will gather over 30 young people from Ireland and across the continent to convince Irish citizens that Lisbon is a good deal for Ireland and the wider EU. The campaign will consist of street actions in Dublin city centre, information stalls and general canvassing.
Leader of European Youth for an Irish YES and Vice President JEF Europe Toni Giugliano said:
“In 2008 the Yes campaign was unable to unite and offer a clear message to Ireland. In 2009 the situation is different. The Treaty has been revised for Ireland and the guarantees have been secured.”The issues that Irish citizens were concerned with have all been addressed, one by one, and as a result, the No campaign has collapsed. The absence of a strong No side demonstrates that there are no real arguments to reject this treaty.
“Nevertheless there is absolutely no room for complacency and lessons must be learned from 2008. We must bring this complex, legal treaty as close as possible to the citizens and explain it to people in a clear, simple way.”This is the last chance we have to ratify Lisbon and we have to get it right. If we fail again, the Treaty will go down the drains for good - at that point, it would be unrescuable. This time, we simply must get the citizens on board.
Samuele Pii , President JEF Europe, said:
“JEF feels the responsibility to be present in Ireland. European Youth for an Irish YES will demonstrate that this is not only an Irish issue, but a referendum that affects the whole of Europe.”From the citizens’ initiative to the Charter of Human Rights, from increased majority voting to public meetings of the Council, the Lisbon Treaty gives the Union many tools it desperately needs to deliver - and this has to be made clear during our campaign.
“Ireland has been given clear legal guarantees that all matters relating to abortion, taxation and neutrality will not be affected by the Treaty. Ireland will also keep its permanent Commissioner, which was a particular concern in 2008.”If Ireland ratifies the Treaty, and assuming that the remaining countries also ratify the document, we will be able to close this chapter of European integration history, with a stronger European Union, and ready to move on to another“.”Lisbon would allow us to re-launch the European constitutional process by giving the European Parliament the power to initiate treaty reform. This is a fundamental tool which will empower the European Parliament and reopen the Constitutional debate.
[ENDS]
Notes:
More information can be found on www.yes2lisbon.eu.
Press Contact:
Toni Giugliano, Vice President JEF Europe; +44 (0)7756663312
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