Ireland Rejects Lisbon Treaty

The European Union was plunged into crisis mode last week after the Irish people voted 'No' to the Lisbon Treaty in a referendum on Thursday.

Despite having the support of all major parties, industrial leaders and almost all of the Irish media, the Irish voted against accepting a constitutional amendment that would allow ratification of the Treaty - a modified version of the European Constitution which was rejected in similar referendums in France and the Netherland.

After spending a short time digesting the result, Taoiseach Brian Cowen told reporters that, "I am extremely mindful today ... of our European partners for whom this vote will represent a considerable disappointment and a potential setback to many years of effort. We must not rush to conclusions. The [European] Union has been in this situation before and each time has found an agreed way forward. I hope that we can do so again on this occasion... There is no quick fix."

Foreign Minister Michael Martin rejected calls for a quick second referendum, saying, "We are going to reflect on this. We are going to analyse the underlying reasons why people not just voted 'No' but the underlying attitudes to the European Union itself because I would accept that there appears to be a certain disconnect between European institutions and its people."

Meanwhile, in Brussels, Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, who had warned the Irish people of dire consequences for the country should they reject the Treaty, seemed to discount the Irish vote insisting that ratification of the treaty should continue, despite the fact that it cannot come into force unless it is ratified by every member of the EU: "The European Council meets next week - and that is the place where joint decisions should be taken on issues that concern us all.

The 'No' vote in Ireland has not solved the problems which the Lisbon Treaty is designed to solve.

"The ratification process is made up of 27 national processes, 18 Member States have already approved the Treaty, and the European Commission believes that the remaining ratifications should continue to take their course."

"At European Council, we will want to confer with each other to hear Prime Minister [Brian] Cowen's analysis as well as his ideas on how to address the concerns expressed by those who chose to vote 'No'."

What steps the European Union will take next remain unclear, though the Taoiseach is expected to have to explain the reasons for the rejection at the meeting of European leaders that takes place on Thursday.

Already several nations have indicated that they will continue the ratification process, including the UK, where the opposition Conservative leader, David Cameron has called for a halt to the ratification process, which is currently being reviewed by the British House of Lords.