EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DEBATE:IRELAND'S REJECTION of the Lisbon Treaty prompted a lively debate in the European Parliament yesterday, with supporters and critics of the treaty disagreeing on whether it should be declared dead or ratification by other member states be allowed to continue.
Janez Lenarcic, representing the EU presidency in his role as Slovenia's secretary of state for European affairs, told MEPs that further ratification of the treaty appears likely to be approved by those attending the EU summit in Brussels today.
"The presidency has held talks with countries which have not yet ratified the treaty, and it is quite encouraging to see that those countries are ready to continue the ratification process," he said.
European Commission president José Manuel Barroso told the parliament that, while fully respecting the outcome of the Irish referendum, "the same respect" must be shown for all national ratifications.
"I do not think that we can rush into a premature decision about the next step. We need to take the time to find a real consensus and see what is possible for Ireland. But equally we should not take too long," said Mr Barroso.
"The No vote must not be a reason for the European Union to fall into the trap of institutional navel gazing . . . we should solve the problem and not now fall back into depression."
Mr Barroso also criticised national governments for blaming EU institutions for their own political difficulties.
"Years of treating European institutions as a convenient scapegoat leaves fertile ground for populist campaigns," he said.
"You cannot bash Brussels and Strasbourg from Monday to Saturday and expect citizens to vote in favour of Europe on Sunday." The Commission president was interrupted by a group of protesting parliamentarians, including independent Munster MEP Kathy Sinnott, unionist MEP Jim Allister and several Eurosceptic British MEPs.
The protesters wore green T-shirts and held aloft posters and banners that read: "Respect the Irish vote."
The display drew anger and criticism from several Irish MEPs, including Fine Gael's Avril Doyle. "What a turn-up for the history books to see this motley collection of extreme, right-wing Brits . . . all donning the green jersey," she said.
Fianna Fáil MEP Brian Crowley argued that while Ireland's vote should be respected, "we must also respect the wish of other countries if they want to move forward with EU integration. It is not up to us to dictate to anybody," he said.
"Well done the Irish!" declared Nigel Farage, head of the UK Independence Party, going on to criticise EU reaction to the result. "You ignore the voters, you are destroying democracy, and you have shown that you will stop at nothing," he thundered.
He said that any move to continue with ratification would amount to what he termed "EU nationalism . . . the most dangerous political phenomenon to have swept Europe since 1945."
His fellow British Eurosceptic MEP Ashley Mote said suggestions the ratification process could continue represented "arrogance of breathtaking proportions".
"The Irish are not just 10 per cent of the EU, they are 100 per cent of those that are allowed to vote, and we all know that others would have voted No given the chance," he said.
Head of the Socialist group, Martin Schulz, warned that the fact Irish voters defied calls from the major political parties to vote Yes pointed to a "crisis of confidence" in national and supranational institutions.
"We must find a way out of the impasse and get the Irish back on board," the German MEP said, arguing that the "soul" and "passion" that had once characterised the pro-European side had now "emigrated to the other camp".