European Commission President Mr Romano Prodi today said if Ireland says No to the Nice Treaty in a second referendum the treaty will "fall".
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Mr Romano Prodi
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Mr Prodi said a new phase of discussion was necessary as the "problem of uneasiness" in Ireland was not connected to the Nice Treaty.
He declared the issues of neutrality and abortion had nothing to do with the treaty.
Mr Prodi was speaking after meeting groups from the anti-Nice campaign in Dublin as part of a three-day visit to Ireland. He said he had come here "to listen and have a dialogue". Reiterating comments he made yesterday he said without Irish ratification the Nice Treaty would be "politically impossible."
Representatives from the various groups have threatened to boycott the proposed Forum on Europe unless they get "parity of esteem."
Mr Prodi said the National Forum on Europe to be established by the Government after the rejection would be "the main instrument for discussions in Ireland on the future of Europe."
He said that "In the last month, thank God, the debate about Europe has multiplied by 10. Six months ago nobody talked about Europe. Now there is a living debate and I welcome it. This is democracy."
Ireland's European Commissioner Mr David Byrne was at the conference. He echoed Mr Prodi's sentiments. He said he would be "deeply disappointed if all the valuable voices" were not listened to.
In an address given at University College Cork this afternoon, Mr Prodi, said the "The vote Ireland delivered on 7th June sends European leaders a clear signal that ordinary citizens do not feel involved enough in European affairs; that they are not ready simply to endorse decisions taken by committees and conferences meeting behind closed doors; and that "business as usual" is no longer an option."
"I believe the people of Ireland want an efficient enlarged EU. But above all, they want an EU they can understand and control through democratic means," Mr Prodi said.
Mr Prodi spoke of the eastern and central Europe who have lived under dictatorship and were deprived of freedom, democracy and a decent standard of living. He said these countries have made great efforts to gain entry into the EU.
"Let there be no doubt whatever that the Nice Treaty is a political condition for enlargement", he said.