Visiting French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been told by opposition leaders Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore that holding a second Lisbon referendum in advance of next summer’s European elections would be counter-productive.
Each of the meetings, both of which took place at Government Buildings in Dublin, lasted 10 or 15 minutes. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Mr Kenny said the discussion was “straightforward”.
“I made the point to him that the question as put and decided upon, that question is over and you don’t put the same question again,” the Fine Gael leader said.
“I did make the point to him that, in a political sense, to have a second referendum, if that were to be a decision of government, sometime before the European elections in 2009, would not lead to a clear mandate because of the political difficulties that that would bring about.”
The Labour Party leader, speaking after his own meeting with the French president said: “We had a very frank exchange of views and some straight talking [was] done.
“I told President Sarkozy that, in my view, this is not just an Irish problem, this is a European problem and that the start to resolving it has to be a start based on a European solution and that, as President of the European Council, he has a particular responsibility in that regard.
“Obviously we in Ireland have to contribute to that solution but it is not as simple as the 26 other member-states ratifying and then turning around to Ireland and asking us to think about it again,” Mr Gilmore added.
“I told him bluntly that a second referendum – which I know is being floated – if it were put this minute would be defeated again and that there isn’t a great deal of point in that.”
For his part, Mr Sarkozy emphasised, according to Mr Gilmore, that there was “a certain time-limit and time-pressure” because certain changes were required for the election of the European Parliament in June 2009.
“I expressed the view to him that I didn’t see how the matter could be resolved between now and then,” Mr Gilmore said, “that there is a process under way where the Government have to assess the totality of the reasons why Ireland vote the way it did.”
President Sarkozy met earlier with Taoiseach Brian Cowen and in a joint statement afterwards they said: “The President emphasised that he had wished his first visit within the union, in his role as President in office of the European Council, to be to Ireland, and the Taoiseach expressed his welcome for such a visit.”
“The two leaders discussed the Lisbon Treaty and the recent Irish referendum. The Taoiseach explained the Irish Government’s aim to develop a fuller understanding of the concerns that affected the outcome of the referendum as a necessary step before deciding how best to respond.
“The Taoiseach also explained that intensive consultations would take place, both domestically and with EU partners, in advance of the October meeting of the European Council,” the statement added.
“The President confirmed that he respected the outcome of the Irish referendum, but welcomed the fact the ratification process is continuing in other member states and expressed his commitment to the Lisbon Treaty. The two leaders undertook to work closely together in seeking a way forward for the union,” the statement said.
There were protests outside Government Buildings by the Irish Farmers’ Association, and by fishermen and and a variety of anti-Lisbon campaigning groups. Two eggs were thrown at the president’s cavalcade and a man was arrested by gardai.”
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