Date: Thursday 24th September

Time: 8pm

Location: Bailey Allen Hall, Áras na Mac Léinn

Speakers: Micheál Martin, Jim Higgins, Proinsias De Rossa, Jens-Peter Bonde, John McGuirk, Tomás Sharkey

Referenda are the chance for a nation of people to speak together, with one voice and make their opinion crystalclear on the issues of the day. Except in Ireland, where it appears that they are just a formality for the government to pass legislation. When Ireland rejected the Nice treaty, the government just re-ran the same referendum until they got the answer they were looking for and now the same thing is set to happen. In the aftermath of Lisbon 1, Brian Lenihan implied that the people of Ireland had made the wrong decision. Now, just over a year later, the same question is being put to us. Has anything really changed?

While the Irish people have been dragging their heels, the rest of Europe has moved forward. To date, 23 of the 27 EU member states have ratified the treaty and of the remaining 4, only Ireland actually rejected the treaty at any stage. We stand like an old cottage in the way of a new motorway, stubbornly blocking a treaty designed to make Europe simpler and fairer. Why should a nation of 4.5 million people be allowed to decide the fate of over 730 million?

But then, we are the only country which was given the opportunity to vote. Do we have more of an obligation to be sceptical on behalf of other nations who haven’t been allowed to have their voiced heard? Certainly there are large groups in the UK and France who may not have agreed to this treaty as readily as their governments did. And what of the treaty itself, should we really be so keen to cede more power outside our state and have committees in Brussels deciding how we should run our country. Should Ireland just vote no? After all, we have made this decision already, the government just decided they didn’t like our answer! Or should we just get over ourselves and let the EU do its job?

Lit & Deb and Law Soc bring you the best speakers from both sides, this is your chance to hear from the experts and put your questions to them! Confirmed guests include Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin TD, Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins and Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa speaking for the motion and opposing the motion are Jens-Peter Bonde, a man who assisted Declan Ganley in his campaign to be elected to the European parliament, John McGuirk, Former Communications Manager for Libertas and Tomás Sharkey, Sinn Fein MEP candidate in the last European Elections.