Greens putting ratification of treaty in jeopardy

20 January 2008

by Cllr Joe Costello

The outcome of yesterday's Green Party conference is putting in jeopardy the ratification of the EU Reform Treaty. The dithering Greens are at risk of playing right into the hands of the No Campaign.

The Reform Treaty was negotiated under the German Presidency in the first half of 2007. It as agreed by Heads of State in October 2007 and was signed in December 2007. It is puzzling as to why it took the Greens so long to get around to discussing it.

They should have debated the Treaty and finalised their position before it was signed, as Labour did at our conference in October 2007.

Now, a junior partner in Govt is at sixes and sevens, where their parliamentary party is apparently in favour of the treaty, but where the Party itself, after yesterdays proceedings, actually has no position.

It must be remembered that what we are talking about is a referendum, where the constitution of this country is proposed to be amended. The Greens' ad hoc approach to such a serious matter is unconscionable for a party in a coalition Govt that is sponsoring this referendum.