AP Photo

On Friday you have an opportunity to shape the future of Europe. The question you have to ask yourself is whether the Lisbon Treaty is a good deal for Ireland and whether it takes the European Union in the direction you want it to go. On June 12th last year the people said No to the Lisbon Treaty. They did so because they wanted a better deal for Ireland and for Europe. The result presented the Government with a strong mandate to negotiate a better deal.

At the time Sinn Féin presented Brian Cowen with detailed proposals as to how we felt the concerns of the electorate could be met. These included positive proposals outlining how the EU could be made more democratic and more responsive to the needs of ordinary people.

What did the Government do? They prevaricated,...