The management of the European Union is in reality dictated by the economic power of the major transnational corporations which have many political parties in Europe in their pockets, according to Socialist Party TD Mr Joe Higgins.
Deputy Higgins said it was clear from the policies pursued by the European Commission that the big business agenda carried most weight and this was why the EU was relentlessly pushing a policy of privatisation of publicly-owned assets.
At a meeting of the National Forum on Europe in Carraroe, Co Galway, on Friday night Mr Higgins said that if the Nice Treaty had been carried, even more power would be given to those who already wielded massive power and the ordinary citizens would be the losers.
"There is no doubt that major pressure is now coming on for an armed wing for the EU. The thinking behind this is that the EU has to be in competition with the United States, not only in economic matters, but diplomatic and world affairs generally. Certain groups and countries within the EU resent the fact that although the Union wields strong economic power, this is not replicated in the diplomatic and political fields on a world basis."
Mr Higgins said he had no doubt that a European army was represented in microcosm by the rapid reaction force now being put in place.
There was a demand coming to increase military spending to keep up with the military spending of the United States, which would mean a new arms race in a different sense to the past.
He went on: "The Socialist Party and I hold a different vision completely with regard to the future of Europe. We want a Europe of the peoples of Europe, democratic and socialist. In this Europe, the resources and wealth would be developed in the interests of the vast majority of the population rather than having a policy dictated by the profit needs of the major corporations whose owners represent a tiny segment of the population of the EU."
Some of the concerns raised by members of the public at the meeting centred around the issue of Ireland's neutrality, European fishing policy, the Habitats Directive and the fact that the Irish people had already voted No to Nice and were now being asked to vote again.
