28th May 2002

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Decision of people on Nice must be respected

Sinn Fein TD for Dublin South Central, Aengus Ó Snodaigh has described reports that the EU Commission is looking to bypass the Treaty of Nice as ``clear evidence of the democratic deficit within the European Union''. Deputy Ó Snodaigh said:

``The attitude of the European Commission following our rejection of the Nice Treaty epitomises why we voted no in the first place. Reports that the Commission are looking at ways of bypassing Ireland's rejection of the Treaty of Nice are clear evidence of the democratic deficit within the European Union.

``The EU Commission needs to consider the reasons why the Irish people rejected Nice. We rejected it because of the threat it poses to our neutrality, our sovereignty, our right to an EU Commissioner and because it would relegate Ireland to a second tier within Europe.

``Sinn Fein supports the enlargement of the EU but the Nice Treaty is about changing the structures of the EU. Recent moves are attempts to bully the Irish electorate. They will not succeed.'' ENDS

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