New group launch No to Lisbon campaign

A campaign has been launched against the Lisbon Treaty by Éire go Brách to defend Irish Sovereignty. Maire ní Fhaoite its Campaign Director has said our group intends to focus on three key areas of the Lisbon Treaty - Economy, Sovereignty and Social Traditions. She said “the Lisbon Treaty seeks to undermine Ireland’s independence, and its dictatorial legislation will be the death knell of Ireland’s prosperity. The Irish political parties that are promoting this Treaty have distorted the facts on how beneficial Europe is to our economy, and how much this treaty will effect Ireland’s exports in the coming future. While Ireland has received over € 50 billion in EU funding, in return we have given the EU over € 260 billion. € 240 billion of this was taken from our fisheries, while a further € 20 billion has been paid to the EU in the form of direct taxes and agricultural levies. The Éire go Brách campaign will also highlight how Ireland will have to pay over € 2.2 billion in annual taxes to the EU, while further hidden taxes in the form of EU Directives, could see Irish taxpayers being forced to pay as much as another 10% of Ireland’s GDP to Europe and its private interests. We have been told that Irish businesses will have to pay a further € 2 billion annually in the form of Carbon taxes. This will seriously undermine Irish competitiveness in the manufacturing sector, and Irish consumers will subsequently have to bear the brunt of these prices when they are passed onto the consumer.Irish ExportsMaire ní Fhaoite has also said the Lisbon Treaty will directly affect Irish exports, making them less competitive. This will discourage foreign investment in Ireland and we are likely to see more companies reallocating to Eastern Europe and countries that border the EU, especially those with low Corporate Tax.Ireland at present has a Corporate Tax rate of 12.5%, whereas Germany and France have 38.6% and 34.5% respectfully. Under the Lisbon Treaty the EU Commission intends to harmonies corporate tax rates under a Directive called CCCTB (Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base). Since 91% of the € 84 billion of Irish exports are carried out by foreign owned companies (mainly from the US), the CCCTB tax proposals will no longer make Ireland an attractive place for foreign investment, and it will seriously affect Irish companies wishing to compete against companies in Eastern European, and places like China where wages are almost a fifth of Ireland’s.We are likely to see more Irish people falling into the poverty trap, and many families will be living on day to day subsidence as Europe floods Ireland with cheap labour and cheap foreign products. Recent statistics show that 17% of Irish families are living below the poverty line. If we don't act now this could rise to 25% or upwards of 40%The Irish Government has neglected home-grown industry, and we are no longer self sufficient in harvesting our own internal wealth. Ireland should be looking towards internal regeneration instead of selling our sovereignty and economic rights to foreign interests.

http://www.eiregobrach.ie/