This article is from page 6 of the 2008-01-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
THE Green Party in Clare will be supporting both a yes and no vote in the EU reform Treaty later this year.
The Clare branch of the Green Par- ty reflected the national consensus at the special convention this week, as the majority of the eight Clare del- egates voted in favour of the treaty.
Clare’s most senior Green Party member, Cllr Brian Meaney, said that he would be supporting the yes campaign.
“TI believe that some of the argu- ments made by the no side are ri- diculous and don’t relate to anything proposed in the treaty.”
The Clare County Councillor now fears that many people will vote against the treaty for the wrong rea- sons, such as dissatisfaction with the government. He admitted that the treaty 1s complicated and putting it through a referendum isn’t necessar- ily making it more accessible.
At the last meeting of the Clare branch of the Green Party just one
person said that they were not in fa- vour of the treaty.
This weekend the Green Party leadership, including its two cabinet ministers proposed a yes vote for the referendum, but they failed to secure the 66 per cent support to allow the party commit to the yes vote.
As aresult the party cannot take an official position on the treaty.
Meanwhile, the head of the Irish Drivers Association, Clareman John Lernihan, will meet with Galway millionaire, Declan Ganley, in the
next two weeks to finalise details for a national coalition against the Euro- pean Reform Treaty.
Ganley is heading up a coalition of interested groups who are campaign- ing for a no vote on the treaty.
Mr Lernihan also met with Green Party MEP Patricia McKenna last week who has also committed her support to the no campaign.
‘This is a very serious situation and people don’t realise it. This treaty will lead to a European army in no time and soon our children could be
conscripted into a European army. And we wont have a Say over it any- more,’ said Mr Lernihan.
“We are holding off until we meet with Mr Ganley over the next few week and then we will decide what strategy we are to take. The green party have done a total u-turn on this. Once you make anyone a min- ister they automatically go back on what they have said.”
The Irish Drivers Association are campaigning for an end to Vehicle Registration Tax.