Ireland must stay at heart of EU, says Kenny

FINE GAEL leader Enda Kenny said the Taoiseach must ensure that Ireland remains a central player in the European process, following the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty in Thursday’s referendum.

Mr Kenny expressed disappointment with the referendum result, but said it is important that we now look to the future. “The fact of the matter is the people have given a clear cut message here and the political process has to take that into account. I expect that the government have now got to discuss this, the Taoiseach has to go out next week and take this up with his European colleagues,” he said.

Speaking in Dublin Castle yesterday, Mr Kenny said: “Everybody in this campaign made the point quite clearly that Irish people are pro-European. From my respective, we have to look forward and move forward for the future now taking into account this decision.”

He said: “We have to see how the process can be opened up again so that Ireland can remain a central player in the European process. The Taoiseach will have to do this when he meets the heads of government.”

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said people’s concerns about the economy and the future were their main reasons for voting no in the Lisbon Treaty referendum.

Mr Gilmore also said he does not know what the future holds for Europe, but was certain that the Lisbon Treaty is now dead. “What we do know is that this country is now entering a new place as far as our economic future is concerned. Unemployment is gone through the 200,000 mark, prices rising, and I think people’s concerns about the future, whether the economic future or the future of Europe, was very much at the heart of the decision that was made today and we now have to reflect that in the body politic,” he said.