“The people have spoken,” is Michael Ring’s view on the current discussions about what to do next in relation to the Lisbon Treaty. The Westport-based Fine Gael TD, who is one of the most popular public representatives in the county, is urging his party to distance themselves from the treaty if it is put before the people again. “The people have spoken on the treaty, and if it is put in front of them again without any changes I think we have to step away from it. If there are concessions made and it’s a new document then we can look at it again, but not as it stands.”
Deputy Ring also hit out at Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin for looking at ways to push ahead with the treaty in its current form. “Micheál Martin might not pay attention to the opinion polls or election results now when they don’t suit him. I migh not have liked the way the election went last year either, but I can’t ignore it and try and have one again this year, we have to wait five years for another chance to go before the people.”
Dep Ring also questioned how the Government thought that people would vote for a treaty they, and many of the officials, didn’t understand. “We have a commissioner out there, Charlie McCreevey, who said he didn’t read it because he didn’t understand it, and other Government ministers and officials who didn’t read it. Well if they didn’t and couldn’t understand it how did they expect the people to vote on it?”
Ring on Europe
With next years local and European elections on the horizon, Dep Ring has yet to decide his future as speculation continues to mount that he will challenge for a seat in the European Parliament. Fine Gael currently have one MEP in the area, Kilkelly native Jim Higgins. “I haven’t made up my mind on that yet. There is a lot of pressure coming on me from people in the party from around a large constituency.” However, Dep Ring is adamant though that if he does run for the European elections next year and gets elected he will do all he can to give the people of the west of Ireland a strong voice and work for the people who are being directly affected every day by Europe. “There are a number of EU directives that are coming out every day that are adversely affecting people in this part of the country in fishing and agriculture and other areas. There are people out there in Europe who are getting well paid to just think up these directives. Regulations are needed but there can be too much regulation sometimes and it is time somebody spoke out about it.”
