NO CAMPAIGN REACTION:THE REJECTION of the Lisbon Treaty in yesterday's referendum was welcomed by No campaign organisations, with many calling for a completely fresh start and warning against any attempt to resurrect the treaty.
In a statement, the Campaign Against the EU Constitution (CAEUC), a broad coalition including civil society organisations, trade unionists and political parties, said "hundreds of millions of people across Europe" would welcome yesterday's result.
"Along with the EU Constitution from which it came, should now be buried," it said.
Calling on the Government, the EU institutions and the governments of other member states to "respect the will of the Irish people and abandon this failed treaty", the group said: "There must be no re-run, like they did with Nice . . . there must be no more threats or attempts to bully the people."
The CAEUC, which counts among its affiliates Sinn Féin, the Socialist Party, the Workers' Party, the Irish Anti-War Movement, the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (Pana), People Before Profit and the People's Movement, said that yesterday's vote showed "the gulf that exists between the politicians and the elites of Europe, and the opinions of the people".
"We call for a change of direction . . . We call for the peoples of Europe to take a leading role in deciding our common future. This is no longer an issue for Ireland alone.
"The future of Europe is for the people of Europe to decide."
Richard Greene of Cóir, a group which heavily targeted Catholic voters in its campaign, said the result showed Irish people wanted to keep the right to decide for themselves on various issues.
"They refused to be bullied and have now begun the momentum to restore democracy in Europe," he said. "We call on the Irish Government to respect the wishes of the people and to acknowledge that the Lisbon Treaty cannot be brought back from the dead."
Socialist Party leader Joe Higgins said the result was a "huge rebuff to the political establishment" and showed there was clear concern over the issue of workers' rights.
"This can be a rallying call for workers throughout Europe who have been at the brunt of this neoliberal juggernaut from the EU in terms of privatisation of services, attacking their pension rights, attacking the idea of a decent wage and a proper job," he said.
Independent MEP Kathy Sinnott called on all parties to "use this opportunity to put the European project back on track".
The vote should not be interpreted as a No to Europe, she said, but rather a vote "in favour of a better Europe for all its citizens".
Veteran Eurosceptic Anthony Coughlan of National Platform pointed out that the No majority was much stronger than in the first Nice referendum.
"It reflects much wider concern at the way the EU project is going," he said.
The vote provides Ireland and Europe with "an opportunity to take a fundamental look at the EU integration process", he added.
"The EU member states should go back to the drawing-board, for their own sakes, for Ireland's sake and for Europe's."