Parties' allies respect Irish decision

FINE GAEL AND LABOUR:THE LEADERS of Fine Gael and Labour say their main European allies have expressed understanding and respect for the Irish No vote on the Lisbon Treaty despite disappointment at the outcome.

After meeting fellow party leaders of the European People’s Party, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said there was a great deal of understanding from the 14 EU prime ministers in his group, including those of Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Slovenia, which currently holds the European Council presidency.

“He added, however, they were all anxious to find a way to move ahead.

“There was no anger and no recriminations.

“There were measured contributions from other EU leaders and from party leaders from countries outside the EU, like the Ukraine and Croatia.”

Mr Kenny said the mood was one of deep respect for the Irish position and acceptance that time was needed to analyse the reasons for the Irish vote.

But there was also a view that all countries should be allowed to ratify the treaty in their own way and an acceptance that there would be a huge political problem if 26 countries went off in one direction leaving one behind.

“There was a strong view that it would be impossible to open a total renegotiation of the Lisbon Treaty and that the countries who had still not ratified should be free to continue the ratification in their own way,” said Mr Kenny.

He added that the crux would come when and if 26 countries had ratified, as Ireland would then be expected to come forward with its solution to the problem.

Mr Kenny called on the Government to carry out an immediate analysis so that an approach could be framed about the best way to proceed.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore warned his fellow social democrat leaders that an early second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland would fail, regardless of how the document was clarified.

“I told them bluntly that if we had a second referendum in the morning it would not succeed, no matter what declarations were added,” said Mr Gilmore after his pre-summit meeting with party leaders from the Socialist Group in Europe.

He said that his colleagues had expressed various levels of understanding and disappointment about the referendum outcome in Ireland, but it was clear that the ratification process in most if not all of the EU countries would proceed.

“Mixed views were expressed. It was certainly clear that there was no Plan B around, but there was a very strong view that the decision of the Irish has got to be respected and understood.”

Mr Gilmore added that the general view in the socialist group, which contains eight prime ministers and five other participants in government, was that by the time of the scheduled October summit the ratification process would be close to an end, and at that stage it might be clear what was likely to happen next.