Sep 21st, 2009

Jackie Cahill's speech to the ICMSA National Council, Limerick on 21 September 2009

By dint of the fact that we’re even sitting here, we’re all members of a collective, an association or a co-op. And we’re all familiar with the feeling that a group to which we belong may be in error in certain of its policies In fact, we might fundamentally disagree with some aspects of its current policy. But none of us would be happy to be an associate member of our co-op or local organisation, where we would have all the responsibility but not a full say on how things are done within that co-op or organisation.

On a grand scale, the same applies to Lisbon and our future within the European Union and we should make no mistake about this. It is as plain and as simple as that. Ireland belongs as a full member of the new European Union. Our future would be quite uncertain and certainly less prosperous if we vote ‘no’ and become sidelined as some form of associate member - sidelined in terms of political, social and economic developments.

Paradoxically, our independence as a nation would be diluted rather than enhanced by such a move. I make no apologies for putting it as bluntly as that. We, as farmers, and more particularly the generation of farmers before us, know how difficult it was to be dependant on one export market for our output and that was Britain. Today we have unlimited access to a food market of some 500 million consumers.

A ‘yes’ vote will ensure that we are at the heart of every single political decision that would affect access to that market and the structure of the market itself.

The market is constantly changing. New regulations are coming to the fore. A ‘no’ vote would result in a substantial - if not total - erosion of our influence and would result in Ireland being mere actors in decisions made by other countries. From my own direct experience, I believe that this would be catastrophic for the Irish farming and food sector.

All kinds of arguments have been advanced by the ‘no’ lobby. But if you examine and analyse what is being said and, more particularly, the people who are saying it then you quickly come to see that these are invariably the same people who have called for a ‘no’ vote in each of the Referendums on Europe. On every occasion they promised dire repercussions if we were to vote ‘yes’ and fell silent when the threatened disaster failed to materialise. I note as well that they are people who are not dependant on doing business in a Europe and have the luxury of not having to consider that very fundamental aspect of our relationship with and within Europe.

We are not asked to sell our sovereignty or sell our freedom in return for access to the European market. With a ‘yes’ vote we underline our status as equal partners. Since Ireland has entered the EU we have shown a tremendous ability to influence decision over a full range of matters and far beyond our weighting in terms of population. Given that there is now a decision to retain the right of each Member Sate to nominate a Member of the Commission and combined with the double weighting in the voting system, there is no reason to imagine that our voice will be heard less and our influence wane.

Farm families and rural dwellers generally have a lot to loose from a ‘no’ vote. Whilst this may sound overly-negative it is nothing less than the reality. Farmers and rural voters should come out and vote ‘yes’ on 2 October. Any form of a protest vote or abstention as a form of protest would be to our own detriment.

Of course we have major problems with the current Government, but these are matters which will not be resolved by voting ‘no’. In fact it is a certainty that resolution of these problems will be made more difficult - if not downright impossible - should Ireland vote ‘no’. In this regard, it is in our own individual interest, and in the interest of our own farm sector to come out and vote ‘yes’ on 2 October. We should not leave it to other people to vote for what is good for our own business.

On the European side, I am convinced that a ‘yes’ vote will immediately lead to the restoration of the disproportionate and favourable influence we had at European level. If we vote ‘no’ on 2 October there will be a rapid and energetic shunting of Ireland and its interests to one side as Europe moves on without us. Make no mistake about it. European development will not wait for us should Ireland decide to go slow.

So far I have focussed on the vital need for Ireland to be full members of a modern Europe so as to protect our right of full access to the European markets. But being a full member of Europe is also vital for the Irish economy to recover and this is essential for our own sector and indeed the future of our own families.

The genuine concerns that did arise in the first Lisbon Treaty have been adequately and directly addressed at European level and firm agreements have been given to Ireland with the full force of international law. Co-decision will apply to most agricultural matters in the future, which means that the Europeans Parliament and the Farm Council will share the decision making process leading to the enactment of directives and regulations. The right of Ireland and all other member states to have a Commissioner at the Commission table needs to be recognised as a major improvement and development since Lisbon 1 Referendum.

In summary, vote ‘yes’ for Lisbon and you will be voting for your business and farming future, you will be voting ‘yes’ for full membership of a European Union where Ireland will have the right and opportunity to influence decision-making. A ‘No’ vote or a decision not to vote at all is to leave the future of your business to somebody else. That must be considered a very unwise and self-destructive course of action.

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