Irish P.M. Defends Role In E.U.

Irish Prime Minister P. Bartholomew “Bertie” Ahern defended Ireland’s active role in supporting the European Union (E.U.) at the Institute of Politics (IOP) last night.

The event, “Ireland and the European Union: Promoting Peace and Prosperity Home and Abroad,” filled the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum for a 30-minute speech by the Prime Minister focusing on the European Treaty and the importance for the E.U. to act collectively abroad and together with the United States.

“The main reason for this European Treaty is a desire for a more cohesive Europe and a more cohesive Europe in foreign affairs,” Ahern said.

Sile de Valera, an IOP fellow and the youngest female member of parliament in Irish history, introduced Ahern, who currently fills the position held three times by de Valera’s revolutionary grandfather, Eamon de Valera.

Ahern first spoke in praise of the peace efforts between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

“Ireland is now at peace, and it’s a different place,” Ahern said, telling the audience that he shared the same words with Congress the day before. “Things have moved on.”

Ahern also described Ireland’s position as a thriving member state of the European Union.

“The facts of Ireland’s achievement in the European Union speak for themselves,” he said.

The prime minister also stressed the E.U.’s role in the Balkans.

“We can see that the European Union is promoting peace,” Ahern said. “It is promoting prosperity.”

In response to a question accusing Ahern and the Irish government of permanently relinquishing Ireland’s sovereignty by their involvement in the E.U., Ahern said any steps to withdraw Ireland from the E.U. and pursue a stand-alone policy would be “lunacy and insanity.”

Philipp W. Grimm ’11, a member of the IOP Forum Committee, which Ahern’s “frank and warm personality.”

The only tense moment of the evening came when one questioner accused Ahern’s government of irresponsibly relinquishing Irish sovereignty.

“There’s a very live debate at home about whether Ireland should take another step in losing sovereignty,” said John J. N. Lacy, an Irish student at the Business School. “People are a little bit afraid.”

The overall tone of the evening, however, was one of positive debate.

“I’ve never seen a standing ovation [at an IOP forum] before,” said Chris P. Trimble, a student at the Kennedy School. “He was very well received.”