This time, we must put our country first

Ireland will remain a member of the European Union (EU) regardless of whether the Lisbon Treaty referendum passes or not on Friday. A 'Yes' vote will reaffirm our place within the community of European nations, while a 'No' will have unknown and quite possibly untold consequences at a time of deep economic and financial uncertainty. Last year, a sceptical electorate voted the treaty down, expressing grave reservations about what it was they were being asked to vote upon. That referendum deserved to fail in 2008 because it was promoted in a very lacklustre fashion by the Government and was only half-heartedly and inadequately explained to the people. Since then, however, cast-iron and binding guarantees have been appended to the treaty which ensures Ireland will continue to control many of the issues that caused people concern the last time - taxation policy, conscription, military neutrality, right to life issues and the retention of an Irish EU Commissioner. Lisbon can in no way be considered a cure-all for Ireland's current woes - there is simply no magic bullet available to take us out of the economic mess we are in right now. Getting out of the hole we have dug will be achieved in a series of steps. And passing the Lisbon Treaty must be regarded as a vital first step on the road to recovery by staying fully connected to the EU project which we have been a part of since we joined the then EEC in 1973, and which has played such a huge role in our transformation from a poor backwater blighted by decades of economic neglect and emigration to a confident and successful economy before our present travails. Lisbon is as much about the restoration of our international reputation as it is about allowing the EU to function more effectively. And the perception of Ireland by the international community is vital right now. The world is a very different place compared to what it was when people last went to the polls on this issue. This time, the result will have a crucial part to play in real economic and fiscal issues such as reducing the cost of current Government borrowing through higher interest costs. The real price of a 'No' vote on this occasion will be tangible and affect us all. The economic crisis has crystallised the value of Europe for Ireland and has underscored the value of our reputation and relationship with Brussels. Ireland is not destined to be in debt forever. When the good times prevailed, greed was allowed to trump common sense, and that cannot be permitted to happen again. If we can put some kind of order on our public finances, with our young and well-educated workforce, Ireland can regain its status as a great place to live and work. But we absolutely need to send a clear message to our EU partners that we will be an active player in Europe and are prepared to work in solidarity with other nations to address shared concerns. The 'No' side in this campaign are naive in the extreme if they think nothing will change for Ireland if we vote down the treaty on this occasion. Certainly, we will lose influence which has been so carefully cultivated up until now and doubt will be cast on our commitment to the Union. We will still be a member of the club of 27 states, technically, but, in effect, we will be outsiders. The two questions each voter must ask themselves are these: can we afford to let that happen and what possible benefits for our country can flow from rejecting the treaty on this occasion? Without the support of the European Central Bank (ECB) and membership of the euro, there is every chance we would be bankrupt by now and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would be running our affairs. Iceland, a country with a avowed reluctance to join the European Union up until recently, now is desperate to get in since its economy imploded last year. Unlike the 320,000 people in Iceland, we in this country earned our EU credentials a long time ago and there can be no doubt that EU membership has brought untold benefits to our country and society. Are we really prepared to throw away the currency we have earned within Europe during the past 36 years to be cut adrift on an ocean of uncertainty at this crucial juncture in our history? We have the opportunity to give our answer on Friday - and we should do so with a ringing endorsement of the Lisbon Treaty.