Ireland has spoken — but what did it say?

“WHAT do we want? We’re not really sure! When do we want it? Maybe later?”

That was the underlying message from Ireland’s no vote and one that makes Brian Cowen’s job of finding a way out of the crisis it induced all the harder.

Ireland has spoken, but unfortunately for the Taoiseach, it will be very difficult to tell his European colleagues exactly what it has said.