Libertas Institute (Ireland)

For other uses, see Libertas (disambiguation).

Libertas Institute

Logo of the Libertas Institute.
Formation	24 October 2006[nb 1]
Type	anti Lisbon Treaty advocacy group
Headquarters	Moyne Park, Tuam, County Galway, Ireland[nb 1]
Location	Ireland
Official language	English
President	Declan Ganley
Key people	Naoise Nunn, David Cochrane, John McGuirk, James O'Reilly, Norrie Keane, Martina Higgins.
Website	www.libertas.org

The Libertas Institute is a lobby group that along with others successfully campaigned for a "no" vote in the 2008 referendum in Ireland on the Treaty of Lisbon.

Mission statement

Its mission statement was "...to initiate and provoke enlightened discussion on the European Union, its relevance to its member states and peoples and its role in World affairs having regard to our shared values of peace, democracy, individual liberty and free markets..."^[1]

Founders

The founders of the Libertas Institute were:

Founder	Notes
Declan Ganley[2]	Associated with Ganley Group[3] and Rivada Networks.[4]
Naoise Nunn[2]	Associated with Rivada Networks.[2]
James O'Reilly[2]	Associated with Ganley Group[3] and Rivada Networks.[2][4]
Norrie Keane[2]	Associated with Rivada Networks.[2]
Martina Higgins[2]	Associated with Ganley Group[3] and Rivada Networks.[2]
Seán Ganley[2]	Brother of Declan.[2]
Dr. Chris Coughlan	Later president of the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland[2]

Personnel

Libertas Institute personnel included:

Name	Job(s)	Notes
Declan Ganley	President[5]	Founder
Naoise Nunn	Executive Director[5]	No longer in post[6][7]
David Cochrane	Publishing Director,[5] later Campaign Manager[8]	Irish political blogger and editor on Politics.ie.[9] Associated with Rivada Networks.[10]
John McGuirk	Communications Director[10]	No longer in post[6]
Caroline Simons	Senior Spokesperson[11]

Charter

The Libertas Charter (archived here) defined what was considered to be Europe's traditional values and influences, asserted what citizens' rights and responsibilities were, acknowledged the EU's role since WWII, stated that the present EU's structure was inherently undemocratic and unaccountable, and pledged to create a popular movement to debate Europe's future.^[12]

The charter was signed by the following:

• Declan J. Ganley^[12]
• Naoise Nunn^[12]
• Dr. Constantin Gurdgiev^[12]
• Paul MacDonnell^[12]
• Carlos Rodriguez^[12]
• Dr. Jana Hybaskowa, MEP^[12]
• Ivan Gabal^[12]
• Dr. Chris Coughlan^[12]
• Professor Roger Downer^[12]
• Artur Osuchowski^[12]
• Stephen Nolan^[12]
• Dr. Eamonn Conway^[12]
• Eamonn Cregan^[12]
• Gerard Lawless^[12]
• Diego Solana^[12]
• Francis O'Flaherty^[12]
• James O'Reilly^[12]
• David Cochrane^[12]
• Keith O'Grady^[12]
• Fiona Fallon^[12]
• Zoltan Angyal^[12]
• Professor Antonio Bar Cendón^[12]
• Michael McCann^[12]

Press releases

The first Libertas Institute press release archived on the Wayback Machine dates to 22 June 2007.^[13][14] It concerned French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the Treaty of Lisbon's clause regarding free and undistorted competition:^[13] an article by Ganley dated 16 July 2007 in Business Week covered similar themes.^[15] The Libertas Institute continued to release press releases during its existence.

Commonality with other organisations

Main article: List of Declan Ganley organizations

Libertas is registered at Moyne Park, Tuam, County Galway along with other organisations associated with Libertas and/or Declan Ganley.^{[16][17][18][19][20][21]} A list of organisations associated with Libertas.eu and/or Declan Ganley is given here.

Funding

Expenditure

2007 expenditure by Libertas Institute Ltd according to its accounts was:

Date	Description
2007–08	Room hire in the Davenport Hotel to discuss strategy[6]
2007–12	Room hire, Merrion Hotel, Dublin for a press conference[6]
2007–12	Photocall & billboard outside Merrion Hotel, Dublin[6]
2007–12	Hire of PR firm Bracken PR, employer of John McGuirk[6]

The deadline for submitting a copy of its 2008 bank statement to SIPO was 31 March 2009.^[22]

Expenditure during the Lisbon I campaign was estimated at "approximately €800,000",^[6] "exceeded €1 million",^[6] or "€1.3 million",^[6][22] or "€1.8 million".^[22]

Income

The Libertas Institute had a loan facility with Ganley, and by 3 October 2008 it had used €200,000 of this money.^[6] Since 1 January 2008, it also had the facility to receive public donations^[6] via its website. Ganley and his wife (Delia Mary Ganley, née Paterek) also donated the maximum amount of €6,300 each.^[23] Libertas stated that its donors were "100% Irish".^[24]

Regulation

The Libertas Institute was a "third party" for the purposes of political fundraising.^[6] Regulation of such is monitored by the Standards in Public Office Commission which imposed a donations limit of €5,348 per donor per year,^[6] rising to €6,348.69 per donor per year in 2009,^[25] imposes a limit of €126.97 for any given anonymous donation,^[25] and disallows any donation from any non-Irish citizens resident outside the island of Ireland.^[25]

Aims

The Libertas Institute advocated a European Energy Innovation Fund intended to license and fund carbon-neutral energy producers, the funding deriving from auctions of CO₂ emissions allowances.^[26] It also deprecated the Treaty of Lisbon^[27] and advocated a "no" vote in Lisbon I, the first Irish referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon.

Libertas in the Lisbon I campaign

Main article: Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2008 (Ireland)

On 12 March 2008, Libertas launched a "no" campaign called "Facts, not politics"^[28] and stated that they expected to spend in the region of €1.5m on the campaign.^[29] The campaign targeted wavering moderates,^[30] the most critical votes for the referendum.^[30] The campaign was joined by businessman Ulick McEvaddy on 20 April 2008.^[31] Activities undertaken by Libertas during the referendum were as follows:

Date	Note
2007–12 to 2008–06	Libertas distribute 35,000[32] copies of "The Lisbon Treaty, the Readable Version", a text edited by MEP Jens-Peter Bonde[33] and produced by the Foundation for EU Democracy,[32][33] the European political foundation affiliated to the EUDemocrats, the European political party headed at the time by MEP Jens-Peter Bonde
2007‑12‑13	Ganley speaks at press conference, Dublin.[34]
2008‑04‑21	Ganley campaigns in Castlebar,[35] Sligo[35] and Letterkenny.[35]
2008‑04‑28	John McGuirk defends on the radio Ganley's rejection of the CAP.[36]
2008‑05‑12	Ganley spoke at a Forum on Europe regional meeting, Hotel Meyrick, Galway.[37]
2008‑05‑28	Ganley takes part in a televised debate and states that the Treaty of Lisbon allows the detention of three-year-old children[38]
2008‑05‑29	Ganley campaigns in Sligo.[39]
2008‑05‑31	Ganley speaks at "The Lisbon Treaty – a Modest Proposal or a Faustian Pact" debate.[40]
2008‑06‑02	Press call, Buswells Hotel, Dublin.[41] Ganley stated that a "yes" vote would jeopardise Ireland's corporate tax and that "a No vote would allow the Government to negotiate a 'better deal' for Ireland".[42]
2008‑06‑09	Libertas attend European movement debate in ESB, Dublin[43]
2008‑06‑09	Libertas canvass in Tallaght[43]
2008‑06‑09	Libertas attend Rock The Vote debate, Dublin[43]
2008‑06‑09	Ganley appears on RTÉ's Questions and Answers.[43]
2008‑06‑09	Ganley buys tickets to Brussels for Brian Cowen, Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore[44]
2008‑06‑12	Ganley spoke at a public meeting in Ranelagh.[45]

Several politicians, including Minister of State for European Affairs Dick Roche, clashed with the group's campaign stance^[46] but the Sunday Business Post reported that the group's efforts at projecting its warnings about the treaty in the media were "hugely successful".^[47]

The referendum was held on 12 June 2008^[48] and defeated by 53.4% to 46.6%, with a turnout of 53.1%.^[49]

Aftermath

Following the referendum, attention shifted to Ganley's new political party Libertas.eu, and the Libertas Institute website libertas.org was redirected to that party's website.

Notes

1. The CRO entry for the Libertas Institute gives these details:
   
   • Type: Company,
   • Number: 428569
   • Name: The Libertas Institute Limited,
   • Address: Moyne Park, Tuam, County Galway, Ireland
   • Registered: 24 October 2006,

References

1. "Libertas Institute:Mission Statement" Libertas Institute website, retrieved via 20071117014019 entry on the Wayback Machine
2. "Most Libertas founders work for firm with military links", Irish Times, Tuesday, 20 May 2008
3. "Ganley Group:Management team" Archived 6 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine, from the Ganley group website
4. "Rivada Networks:Key Personnel" Archived 20 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine from the Rivada Networks website
5. "Libertas Institute:Management" Libertas Institute website, retrieved via 20071117014217 entry on the Wayback Machine
6. "Substantial amount of funding for Libertas came from Ganley", Irish Times, Friday, 3 October 2008
7. "Nationality of Libertas founder was listed as British in UK records", Irish Times, Monday, 22 September 2008
8. "Libertas Staff" Libertas Institute website, retrieved via 20080122115509 entry on the Wayback Machine
9. Member profile of David Cochrane Archived 20 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine on Politics.ie.
10. "Libertas executive director is Rivada employee", Irish Times, Saturday, 24 May 2008
11. "Ganley insists 'this is a pro-European message'" Irish Times, Saturday, 14 June 2008
12. "Libertas Institute:Charter" Libertas Institute website, retrieved via 20071117014059 entry on the Wayback Machine
13. "Libertas Expresses Outrage at Sarkozy's Assault on Single Market" Libertas Institute press release, 22 June 2007, retrieved via 20070627043906 entry on the Wayback Machine
14. "Libertas Institute:Home" Libertas Institute website, retrieved via 20070630145757 entry on the Wayback Machine
15. "An Anticompetitive Europe Must Not Rise", Business Week, 16 July 2007
16. "Self Serving US Military Agenda of Messrs Ganley and McEvaddy" Archived 27 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine FineGael.ie Press Release, 25 April 2008
17. "Man who says no" Irish Independent, Saturday 7 June 2008
18. "Opening of September II plenary session: Minute of silence for victim of ETA bombing / Funding of the No campaign in Ireland", European Parliament press release, 22 September 2008
19. "MEPs seeking source of Libertas funding", Jamie Smyth, Irish Times, 23 September 2008
20. "Ireland Takes the EU Spotlight" Washington Post, 12 June 2008
21. "On the mysterious trail of 'Mr No'", Irish Times, 31 May 2008
22. "Comment: Ganley cashed in on our ‘kick the cat’ mood "^{[permanent dead link‍]}, Sunday Business Post, Sunday, 15 June 2008
23. "Libertas and its letters from Austria". The Sunday Business Post. 25 May 2008.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
24. RTÉ news – Martin accuses Libertas over Cowen criticism – Tuesday, 20 May 2008
25. "Third Parties" Archived 27 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine from the Standards in Public Office Commission/Coimisiún um Chaighdeáin in Oifigí Poiblí website
26. "Libertas Energy Initiative – European Energy Innovation Fund" Libertas Institute website, retrieved via 20080122130832 entry on the Wayback Machine
27. "Libertas.org – The Lisbon Treaty" Libertas Institute website, retrieved via 20080122112042 entry on the Wayback Machine
28. "Anti-Lisbon treaty campaign is launched". RTÉ News. 15 June 2008.
29. Kelly, Fiach (12 March 2008). "Treaty camps matching each other in €3.5m splurge on poll". Irish Independent.
30. Brady, Hugo. 2008. "Will the Irish Guillotine Lisbon?". Centre for European Reform Briefing Note. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 June 2008. Retrieved 19 June 2008.
31. "McEvaddy joins Lisbon 'no' campaign", RTÉ News, 20 April 2008
32. "Libertas denies breach of electoral donations law", Irish Times, Wednesday, 11 June 2008
33. "What next after Lisbon fallout?" – Irish Times, Tuesday, June 17, 2008
34. "EU Leaders Sign Treaty, Plan to Avoid Popular Votes (Update2)", Bloomberg, 13 December 2007
35. "Lisbon: Don’t say yes without reading treaty" Archived 22 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Sligo Weekender, 22 April 2008
36. "Libertas leader attacked CAP", Irish Independent, Saturday 3 May 2008
37. REFERENDUM DIGEST, Irish Times, Monday, 12 May 2008
38. "Ganley defends comments on detention of young children", Irish Times, Friday, 30 May 2008
39. "The smart people of Ireland have No excuse, says Libertas", Irish Times, Thursday, 29 May 2008
40. REFERENDUM DIGEST, Irish Times, Saturday, 31 May 2008
41. REFERENDUM DIGEST, Irish Times, Monday, 2 June 2008
42. "Ganley says tax issue is key to Libertas campaign", Irish Times, Tuesday, 3 June 2008
43. REFERENDUM DIGEST, Irish Times, Monday, 9 June 2008
44. "Libertas buys Cowen a ticket to Brussels", RTÉ News, Monday, 9 June 2008
45. REFERENDUM DIGEST, Irish Times, Tuesday, 3 June 2008
46. "Lisbon Treaty will not curb veto rights on tax, says commission". The Irish Times. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
47. Leahy, Pat. "Irish Business News". The Sunday Business Post. Retrieved 8 May 2008. ^{[dead link‍]}
48. "12 June pencilled in as date for Lisbon Treaty vote". BreakingNews.ie. 2 April 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2008.
49. "Results received at the Central Count Centre for the Referendum on The Lisbon Treaty". Referendum Returning Officer, referendum.ie. 13 June 2008. Archived from the original on 19 June 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2008.

External links

• Who is Declan Ganley? website
• Libertas Institute homepage prior to its redirect to Libertas.eu. Accessed via Wayback Machine.
• Libertas Institute blog. Accessed via Wayback Machine
• Constitution Watch blog. Accessed via Wayback Machine
• David Cochrane editor politics.ie