Speaking today in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Socialist Party MEP Joe HIggins demanded a referendum in Ireland on any proposed amendment to the Lisbon Treaty to give the EU powers to impose punitive conditions on member states which seek financial assistance.
‘In Ireland and Greece we see the reality that such mechanisms are to bail out a crisis ridden financial systemn dominated by speculators at the expense of working people, pensioners and the poor.
‘The Irish Government has already turned our country into a vassal State of the IMF which is acting blatantly on behalf of the speculators in the financial markets.
‘I warn the Irish Goverfnment not to think it can foist this on the Irish people without a referendum. We demand a referendum on any change to the Lisbon Treaty so that the Irish people will have an opportunity to resist being turned into permanent serfs of the financial markets at the behest of the EU Institutions.
