‘Pro-European Eurosceptics: making sense of the Irish and their relationship with Europe’

Dr. John FitzGibbonJohn.fitzgibbon@canterbury.ac.uk

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Outline

• The Irish and Europe: an overview• So Many Referendums: A unique experience • Ireland’s EU Referendums• Victory for the “loolahs”?• Eurosceptic Pro-Europeans?• Irish Fiscal Compact Treaty Referendum• Irish No Campaigners• Conclusions

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The Irish and Europe: an overview• Following the lead of the UK

• National debate related to money and sovereignty

• Joe Lee, 1973 referendum campaign: “Those who complained about the giving up of Irish sovereignty were politely reminded that Ireland could not give away what it did not have”

• Still defines the relationship between Irish citizens and Europe – Irish-EU relationship is a balance between achieving perceived

economic benefit as a result of giving up sovereignty– Contextualized by perceived extent of economic benefit– What issues of sovereignty to retain and what to ‘give up’

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So Many Referendums:a unique experience

• Irish referendum experience is underplayed– Focus on parties/results– Focus on voter support/knowledge of EU issue in question

• Nine so far, Denmark next with six– Five since Denmark’s last– Longevity and frequency give space for narrative emergence

• Key access to Political Opportunity Structure of EU for Irish citizens– Court action by individual, Raymond Crotty, opened up this avenue– Frequently civil society groups have grasped agenda ahead of well established

parties

• Irish voters have become players in EU decision making– Fiscal Compact ‘designed’ not to cause an Irish referendum– ‘How will the Treaty play in Cork’?

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Ireland’s Referendums• Main issues raised

– Accession 1973: Sovereignty, economic protectionism “Ireland will become the Alabama of Europe”

Post-Crotty Judgement– SEA 1985: Sovereignty, economic protectionism “The men on the blanket say vote No!”– Maastricht 1992: Sovereignty!

Post-McKenna Judgement– Amsterdam 1998: Sovereignty, neutrality– Nice 2001: Neutrality, “No to NATO, No to Nice”– Nice 2002: Democratic deficit– Lisbon 2008: Guaranteed Commissioner, Workers’ Rights, Social Issues– Lisbon 2009: Democratic deficit– Fiscal Compact 2012: Renegotiated Treaty, Deal on Bank Debt, Neo-Keynesianist pan-EU

Economic Expansion

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Victory for the “loolahs”?• Forces government to defend Irish EU relationship

• Mobilises interest groups in favour

• Increased EU involvement in our lives means more groups campaign against

– Cóir, Libertas, People’s Movement etc

• Real achievements– Holding of referendums in first place– ‘Equal’ coverage for yes and no sides– Guaranteed Commissioner for each member states– Establishment of policy ‘redlines’: neutrality, social policy, workers’ rights

• Beyond EU issue being questioned– Opportunity to re-evaluate national relationship with EU– Opportunity to communicate different visions of European integration

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Eurosceptic Pro-Europeans?• Support for EU (even the Euro!) remains strong

• Mobilization on different policies, forms, EU integration should take– Not less Europe, a different Europe

• Keen awareness of lack of alternatives

• Wariness of lack of communication

• Euroscepticism or opportunity to express views?

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Fiscal Compact Referendum• Legal doubt over continued need for referendums

– Political necessity– Irish electorate as veto players in EU Treaty negotiation– Denmark excludes itself; – UK uses voters as weapon

• No campaigners ‘forced’ to provide alternatives– Policies to fund budget deficit, promote growth, – Renegotiate Treaty, Eurobonds to fund Keynesianist pan-European growth

Treat– ‘De-Nationalize’ bank debt

• Not one of main opponents advocated withdrawal from EU/Euro

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Irish No Campaigners

Support Euro. Int. Y/NSupport Existing

Institutions Y/N

Offered Alternative

Policies

Advocated EU

withdrawal

Libertas Y Y Y N

Sinn Féin Y N Y N

ULA N N Y N

Anti-House Hold

ChargesN N N N

Another Europe is

PossibleY N Y N

Farmers Say No N N N N

TEEU (trade union) Y Y Y N

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15

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Conclusions• Sovereignty and economics define Irish citizens relationship with

Europe

• Through referendums Irish citizens have influenced, to a degree, that relationship with their own issues

• Despite ‘Austerity’ and EU role in Troika, still pro-EU and pro-Euro

• BUT! more ‘Eurocautious’ and expect more engagement and ‘Euroalternatives’ from political interlocutors

• Not an absolute but consideration of EU referendum outcomes, public opinion, electoral results and issues causing EU focused mobilization

Thank you.