Libertas Institute


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..."

Founders

The founders of the Libertas Institute were:
FounderNotes
Declan GanleyAssociated with Ganley Group and Rivada Networks.
Naoise NunnAssociated with Rivada Networks.
James O'ReillyAssociated with Ganley Group and Rivada Networks.
Norrie KeaneAssociated with Rivada Networks.
Martina HigginsAssociated with Ganley Group and Rivada Networks.
Seán GanleyBrother of Declan.
Dr. Chris CoughlanLater president of the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland

Personnel

Libertas Institute personnel included:
NameJobNotes
Declan GanleyPresidentFounder
Naoise NunnExecutive DirectorNo longer in post
David CochranePublishing Director,
later Campaign Manager		Irish political blogger and editor on .
Associated with Rivada Networks.
John McGuirkCommunications DirectorNo longer in post
Caroline SimonsSenior Spokesperson

Charter

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

Commonality with other organisations

Libertas is registered at Moyne Park, Tuam, County Galway along with other organisations associated with Libertas and/or Declan Ganley. 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:
DateDescription
2007–08Room hire in the Davenport Hotel to discuss strategy
2007–12Room hire, Merrion Hotel, Dublin for a press conference
2007–12Photocall & billboard outside Merrion Hotel, Dublin
2007–12Hire of PR firm Bracken PR, employer of John McGuirk

The deadline for submitting a copy of its 2008 bank statement to SIPO was 31 March 2009.
Expenditure during the Lisbon I campaign was estimated at "approximately €800,000", "exceeded €1 million", or "€1.3 million", or "€1.8 million".

Income

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

Regulation

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

Aims

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

Libertas in the Lisbon I campaign

On 12 March 2008, Libertas launched a "no" campaign called "Facts, not politics"
and stated that they expected to spend in the region of €1.5m on the campaign.
The campaign targeted wavering moderates, the most critical votes for the referendum. The campaign was joined by businessman Ulick McEvaddy on 20 April 2008. Activities undertaken by Libertas during the referendum were as follows:
DateNote
2007–12 to 2008–06Libertas distribute 35,000 copies of "The Lisbon Treaty, the Readable Version", a text edited by MEP Jens-Peter Bonde and produced by the Foundation for EU Democracy, the political foundation at European level affiliated to the EUDemocrats, the political party at European level headed at the time by MEP Jens-Peter Bonde
2007‑12‑13Ganley speaks at press conference, Dublin.
2008‑04‑21Ganley campaigns in Castlebar, Sligo and Letterkenny.
2008‑04‑28John McGuirk defends on the radio Ganley's rejection of the CAP.
2008‑05‑12Ganley spoke at a Forum on Europe regional meeting, Hotel Meyrick, Galway.
2008‑05‑28Ganley takes part in a televised debate and states that the Treaty of Lisbon allows the detention of three-year-old children
2008‑05‑29Ganley campaigns in Sligo.
2008‑05‑31Ganley speaks at "The Lisbon Treaty – a Modest Proposal or a Faustian Pact" debate.
2008‑06‑02Press call, Buswells Hotel, Dublin. 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".
2008‑06‑09Libertas attend European movement debate in ESB, Dublin
2008‑06‑09Libertas canvass in Tallaght
2008‑06‑09Libertas attend Rock The Vote debate, Dublin
2008‑06‑09Ganley appears on RTÉ's Questions and Answers.
2008‑06‑09Ganley buys tickets to Brussels for Brian Cowen, Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore
2008‑06‑12Ganley spoke at a public meeting in Ranelagh.

Several politicians, including Minister of State for European Affairs Dick Roche, clashed with the group's campaign stance
but the Sunday Business Post reported that the group's efforts at projecting its warnings about the treaty in the media were "hugely successful".
The referendum was held on 12 June 2008
and defeated by 53.4% to 46.6%, with a turnout of 53.1%.

Aftermath

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