Fight for the right to decide

If you were to go by the papers over the past week you would think that our biggest enemies are not the Germans nor the French nor the English, nor even the bankers. You would think that the biggest enemies of the Irish people were, wait for it… the Irish people themselves.

They are terrified of allowing the Irish people to decide where the future of the Irish people lies. The last thing they want is a referendum on whether we are going to stay with Europe or whether we are going to tie ourselves with London.
They think the Irish people are not capable of deciding our destiny. They think the Irish people will take the wrong decision. If there is to be a referendum it will only be because they have no choice but to allow it rather than that would be the right thing to do.
I am not sure myself at this stage which choice I will go with. But there is one thing that I am sure about and that is that I want to be able to have a choice. I believe very strongly that we must have a referendum on the issue. I am not convinced yet which way we should go but I am convinced that we, the people, should be allowed to have a say in which way we are going to go.
We are at a crossroads. We either go one way or the other. The decision on whether we turn to Brussels or to London should not be taken by politicians in Brussels or in London, nor even in Dublin. That decision must be taken by ourselves, the people alone.
There should be no discussion about that. This is what democracy is all about. This is what the men of 1916 laid down their lives for – the right of the sovereign people to decide their own destiny. They did not want that decision to be taken by a few people in some city somewhere. What’s this their motto was? “We serve neither King nor Kaiser but Ireland”. And that was the old meaning of Sinn Féin. Ourselves, ourselves alone to decide.
While I am not too sure at this early stage where we should go, I am inclined to go with Europe. It is possible that I will change my mind over the course of the next few weeks or months as I learn more about what was agreed in Brussels last week. But the way I feel is that we are in a little boat being tossed about in a stormy sea. I may not fancy being in that boat but I prefer to be in it rather than jumping overboard. I think we may have a better chance of being rescued by staying in the boat rather than by abandoning it.
On the question of Ireland’s future there may be those who will say that there are three choices. They may argue that we do not have to choose between London and Brussels. They may say that we have a third choice and that is to go it alone. I do not go along with that.
However, that is not the point of this article. My point is that the men of 1916 and the men and women who fought and died for Irish freedom down through the ages made their sacrifices so that the Irish people could decide their own destiny.
It is, of course, important that we take the right decision. But it is more important that we are allowed to take it.
There should be no argument about this. I don’t know exactly yet what we are being asked to decide. But I do understand that Ireland’s future is at stake here. If that is so, then the only people who can decide it are the Irish people themselves.
There is an argument about whether or not the new agreement reached in Brussels last Friday amends or adds to existing treaties. I don’t know enough to know if the agreement infringes any article of the Irish Constitution.
I do believe, however, that the agreement provides for the transfer of certain powers from Ireland and from the other member states of the European Union. I am not arguing at this point whether or not that is a good thing or a bad thing. My whole argument at this stage is about whether or not we should have a choice and I come down firmly on the side of having one.
I am not a constitutional lawyer and I am not going to argue whether or not this article, or that in the Irish Constitution, gives the people the right to decide all questions of national policy in accordance with the requirements of the common good.
All I am simply saying is that we must have the right to decide our own destiny no matter whether or not that right is enshrined in the Constitution. I believe all countries in the European Union should have the same right. But that is a matter for them.
If the people of this State vote against the agreement reached in Brussels last week, that is a matter for us. I am not too sure – at this stage – whether that would be a good thing or a bad thing. But I presume the decision will be taken after informed debate. I presume both sides of the argument will be put before the Irish people. And whether they take the “right” decision or the “wrong” decision will be a matter for us. It is up to the Irish people to decide which is the right road to take and which is the wrong road.
I am inclined to go with the agreement but I am not fully convinced yet. That is my privilege as it is the privilege of everybody. That is what democracy is all about.
I do not go along with the belief that the majority of the people have no right to be wrong. That is what dictatorship is all about. Who decides what is right and what is wrong? It is not a few people in Brussels or in London. Not even a few people in Government Buildings in Dublin. It is the people, the sovereign people who have that right. It is a right that was dearly bought and cannot be taken from us.
At this stage, I hope the people will decide to go with Brussels rather than with London but if the people vote against the agreement I may not like it but I will have to accept it. As will the powers in Brussels, Dublin or wherever.
If the people take the “wrong” decision now I cannot see what is to stop them from taking the “right” decision in five, 10 or 20 years time. If the UK can decide by referendum to stay in or leave the European Union, Ireland must also have the same right.
It is up to the people.