PRINGLE CALLS FOR CONSTRUCTIVE DEBATE ON ESM CASE

Thomas Pringle TD has today called for constructive and informed debate on his case on the ESM which was heard in the ECJ this week following ill-conceived comments made by public representatives in recent days.

The oral hearing of the case which took place at the ECJ on Tuesday follows from the decision of the Supreme Court to refer questions to it regarding the validity of the ESM, with the judgement on this expected by the end of the year.

“I have no problem with anyone who wishes to express their opinions on this matter which is of the upmost importance to all concerned. But unconstructive, ill-informed comments by certain government back-benchers displaying their ignorance on the issues at hand are not welcome and can only be described as an attack on the integrity of the Supreme Court.

“The fact of the matter is that the ESM is an inter-governmental body, operating not as an EU institution but as an organisation set up under international law. My main argument is that the treaty change, which enables the ESM to override Europe’s no bail-out clause, was not properly enacted with my principal concern being that as a body outside the union and not subject to union law, the ESM could take measures in connection with the union and dictate conditions that will be imposed on member states in matters so fundamental and integral to the union as its economy and its currency.

“If the EU judges rule against it, the ESM, its ratification and any payments made to Luxembourg will be deemed illegal – but that wouldn’t stop the EU from establishing a mechanism that was subject to union law.

“This case was heard by means of the accelerated procedure and was the first case of its kind to be heard by all 27 judges of the ECJ, highlighting the constitutional significance of the reference for the ECJ and the EU. This follows from Justice Hardiman of the Supreme Court’s decision last week to dissent from his earlier ruling, stating that the people of Ireland should have the final say on the ESM Treaty, just days before the hearing in Luxembourg.

“Ireland’s total commitment to the ESM is in excess of €11 billion – of which €508 million was paid last week – while there is no fixed commitment by the ESM to support Ireland.

“I am quite confident that I have fought hard for the people of Ireland, as well as Europe, who unfortunately were not given the opportunity to vote by means of a referendum on a mechanism which could irrevocably change the face of the EU for the worse.

“Hopefully the ECJ will leave politics at the door of the court and listen to the arguments and make a decision for the people of Europe based on the facts of this issue, and not fiction.”

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2 Comments

1. 

   Erich Haug

   28th October 2012 at 5:16 am

   I’m german and 70 years old.
   Deeply in my heart I hope you will have success.
   Our politicans are a band of greedy might peoples.
   All sponsored by money of industrials.
   Strauss, Kohl, Möllemann…..ugly!!
   Have success

   Regards

   Erich Haug
2. 

   Chuck

   3rd November 2012 at 3:22 pm

   Thomas,
   You are in the teapot with your potential tempest. Frankly, you need to go be interviewed on Bloomberg TV, MSNBC, etc, condensing your position to mroe like three easy sententes: “The EU treaties require all EU matters to be contained within the framework of EU law, which the ESM is outside of that law because they could not pass it within EU law.” “This is an attempt for the banking system to literally enslave entire nations for generations economically to support bad banks doing bad business which should be allowed to FAIL.” “The world simply needs to return to a gold based economy precicely so that politicians cannot print money to sponsor wars, to irrationally overspend for votes, to enslave their great grandchildren in poverty before they are even born.” You are a politician, you understand sound bytes, make good ones, succinct ones, and go make your case before the world court of financial common sense on worldwide television. You will find everyone who is NOT a banker supporing you, en masse. And write a book, overnight, and publish it on Amazon. Kaplah!