THE IRISH TIMESwebsite Ireland.comasked readers to participate in two online polls during the referendum count last Friday. More than 10,000 people voted when asked if they thought the public was sufficiently informed on the Lisbon Treaty.
While some complained that they did not understand the treaty, others commented on the referendum result as the No sides win became increasingly clear.
Of those who voted, 2,247 agreed the public was sufficiently well informed, while 8,089 disagreed. The majority of accompanying comments came from readers in Europe, with many congratulating Ireland for holding a referendum in the first place. Others were critical of the result, with several readers calling on Ireland to withdraw from the EU but only after paying back the money invested here by the EU over the years.
Once the referendum result had been officially declared, a second poll was published asking if Ireland's standing within the EU would be significantly damaged.
This second poll attracted over 2,000 votes and comments, with 1,309 readers thinking that Ireland's standing would not be disadvantaged, against the 857 who believed Ireland would suffer as a result of the No vote.
Most comments were favourable, with many commending the fact the electorate was given a say, while others considered the result to be a rejection of the European ideal.
Éanna Ó Caollaí
Here is a sample of more than 1,300 logged comments:
"The unification of Europe with 60 years of wealth and peace will not be stopped by the referendum. We all need the EU more than one might think.
For Ireland the result is a political disaster but will be overruled by history."
- Klaus, Germany
"Thank you Ireland - you are the true democrats of Europe.
- Torsten, Denmark
"How ironic; Ireland the biggest net receiver of EU money votes against the EU . . . Bunch of ungrateful dogs."
- Jasper, Netherlands
"Pay back the money and leave the EU."
- Eddy, Netherlands
"Thank You, Ireland! Thank you so much! You are the voice of Europe!"
- Tilo Schoenberg, Germany
"Irresponsible, narrow-sighted, ignorant people! Perhaps you should go back to the bad old days when you didn't even have enough potatoes to eat. We, the previously rich countries of the EU have fed you for 30 years and what do we get for that? A NO to the outside world? Can you perhaps solve the global problems like that of climate change on your own in your little island? Start co-operating and stop destroying the lives of hundreds of millions of hard-working Europeans."
- Peter, Denmark
"Good thing the Irish voted against it. Thanks folks, I'll look for an Irish flag to hang outside of my house."
- Rob Dingemans, Netherlands
"It is a black day for Europe and surely for Ireland. I doubt that the Irish voter took his/her responsibility to inform himself/herself beyond the populist and interested anti-European campaigns and with that result I think the next consistent step should be for the Irish to leave the EU."
- Dr Christof Rheinert, Germany
"Thank you Ireland! You have voted in behalf of millions of European citizens not allowed to express their opinion and who were gagged by their own governments. Ireland seems to be the only democratic country in the EU.
- Tom, Poland
"Greetings from Spain, you are the only European state who respects democracy. Thanks for speaking for all European countries. The people say no and no and no to the Europe of corporations, yes to the Europe of the peoples and citizens. Thanks a lot."
- Aritz, Spain
"We Polish people are very glad (80-90 per cent) that the treaty has failed. There was no discussion in Poland about the profits and losses of the treaty. The only discussion in the media was who should sign the treaty: the president, parliament or government. Ireland saved Poland and other countries. Thank You!
God Bless Ireland!"
- Mirek, Poland
"The treaty has been negotiated and approved by democratically elected politicians of each member state. It has since been ratified by a majority (and counting) of democratically elected parliaments.
You call blocking that with 25 per cent of the Irish electorate, for all the wrong reasons, a victory for democracy?"
- Peter, Belgium
"Like a spoilt child Ireland refuses to pay back what she got from Europe. We should have left you poor back in the 80-90ies. Thanks for nothing."
- Hansen, Denmark
"Ireland is a great country. We were not allowed to vote in France, so thanks for voting so well! Vive l'Irlande."
- Philippe, France
"A lot of thanks to all Irish women and men who voted NO. It is a wonderful lesson of democracy and good sense for all Europe."
- Gian Luigi, Switzerland
"Thank you! You've opened the door again towards direct democracy for all Europeans!"
- Markus, Austria
"Thank you, Ireland. Why gain independence in the 20th century, only to vote it away the 21st? You should be proud for standing up for yourselves."
- Erik, Denmark
"Ireland says NO. Europe says THANKS."
- Frank, Germany
- Compiled by Éanna Ó Caollaí