Posts Tagged ‘ Lisbon Treaty ’

Lisbon Treaty: German Court Suspends Ratification

June 30, 2009
By Stephen
Lisbon Treaty: German Court Suspends Ratification

Image via Wikipedia The German Constitutional Court has ruled that the Lisbon Treaty is compatible with the German Constition (or Basic Law). But the Court has still suspended ratification until domestic law in relation to the EU is beefed up. The Court stated according to The Local: “The ratification document of the Federal Republic of Germany may not be adopted until the sufficient legal groundwork for parliamentary participation as foreseen in the constitution has been laid,” “If one wanted...

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“The EU Presidency Is Too Big for Small Nations”

June 29, 2009
By Stephen
“The EU Presidency Is Too Big for Small Nations”

The above is the title of an article in the German Magazine Der Spiegel by Ulrike Guérot. The opening paragraph states the following: The Czech Republic proved that small EU states are not up to running the EU Council Presidency. Leadership on such a scale is simply beyond their means. Nevertheless, Sweden hopes to see the Lisbon Treaty ratified. Then it wants to lay the foundations for a real European foreign policy. I disagree completely that statement and the...

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“Unelected Brussels bureaucrats make up to 80% of laws” – eh No It Don’t

May 10, 2009
By Stephen
“Unelected Brussels bureaucrats make up to 80% of laws” – eh No It Don’t

During the Libertas Campaign against the Lisbon Treaty and probably during the Euro-Elections we will hear the statistic that “Unelected Brussels bureaucrats make up to 80% of laws”. This claim was echoed by Marine Le Pen of the French Le Front Nationale who said on BFM TV « 80% des lois qui sont  appliquées et qui sont votées par les députés sont en réalité seulement enregistrées parce que ce sont des directives européennes » (80% of the laws which...

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“Lisbon treaty now in Irish hands.”

May 6, 2009
By Stephen
“Lisbon treaty now in Irish hands.”

Image via Wikipedia The above is according to Elmar Brok MEP (CDU/EPP). This because today the Czech Senate today approved the Treaty of Lisbon, leaving Ireland as the only EU member state not to have passed it. From the press release: “Now the Lisbon  treaty lies in the hands of Ireland  , because there is no alternative to the Lisbon treaty. The people in Ireland have made it clear that they want the European Union to be more democratic,...

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Fianna Fail Join The ELDR

April 16, 2009
By Stephen
Fianna Fail Join The ELDR

So it happened offically today. From the PR: The Irish Fianna Fàil becomes member of ELDR After fruitful bilateral negotiations the European Liberal and Democrat party welcomes today Fianna Fàil as a new ELDR member party. Fianna Fail Secretary General Sean Dorgan was warmly welcomed in Brussels today to finalize the application procedure of his party with the ELDR Council, the highest decision-making body of the ELDR Party in matters of membership. The Irish newcomer will see the ELDR...

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Th!nk09: People don’t know what MEP’s do

April 10, 2009
By Stephen
Th!nk09: People don’t know what MEP’s do

On Monday after the Fine Gael Ard Fheis, UCC Young Fine Gael had a walk about in Cork City for Sean Kelly, a Fine Gael candidate in Ireland South. One member of the public asked to meet Sean Kelly, he was introduced. What was his question? Go on take a guess. Can you get me a house? Yes, in typical Irish fashion, his question was on the housing lists which plague this country. This is something so sitting or...

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Holiday Atmosphere at Ard Fheis?

April 4, 2009
By Stephen
Holiday Atmosphere at Ard Fheis?

If you take a walk outside the main hotel there is a big crowd outside enjoying the sunshine. There is a relaxed mood among delegates as the various sessions continue this evening. I attended the YFG session for part of it, but had to leav early. I was there for contributions from Lucinda Creighton (Europe) and Brian Hayes (Education). They gave good speeches, with Lucinda focusing on the Lisbon Treaty and the Lisbon Strategy (not to be confused). Brian...

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The Political Gay is back!

March 22, 2009
By Stephen
The Political Gay is back!

So today I started back blogging GayCork.com. I decided to revive the blog as with the elections and referendum this year (and a supplementry budget on April 7th) there is stuff out there to be blogged about and this way I can expand my readership! It will mainly be posts about the Local and European Elections, but after that I will switch to the re-run of the Lisbon Treaty. It is hoped that it will be a weekly post,...

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Burke gets it wrong on Lisbon

February 16, 2009
By Stephen
Burke gets it wrong on Lisbon

Image via Wikipedia According to RTÉ, Colm Burke MEP (FG – Ireland South) wants us to vote on Lisbon Treaty in April. But how can we??? The European Council have not agreed the text of the “necessary guarantees” that will, supposedly, get us to change our minds on the treaty. Colm seams to be showing the effects of working in Brussels, you lose your connection to the people and only want to get your name in the paper, especially...

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Latest Opinion Poll and a bit of a Lisbon Rant

February 1, 2009
By Stephen
Latest Opinion Poll and a bit of a Lisbon Rant

Image via Wikipedia Its been awhile since the last poll, but RTÉ report on a poll being Published in tomorrow’s Sunday Business Post. The headline figures are: Fine Gael 33% (-2)Fianna Fail 28% (-2Labour 14% (NC)Greens 8% (+3)Sinn Fein 9% (+1)Ind/Others 8% (NC) The opinion poll also asked a question on the Lisbon Treaty. 58% of people back the treaty according to the poll. 28% are against and 14% don’t now. It is strange that in a week that...

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