Lisbon vote ‘sent negative signal’ to multinationals

IRELAND’S rejection of the Lisbon treaty has created uncertainty among multinational companies here, according to the head of one of the country’s largest employers.

The comments yesterday by Microsoft Ireland chief executive Paul Rellis came on the same day a multinational firm reportedly asked its workforce to take one day’s unpaid leave.

Mr Rellis, who is also president of the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland, said that the no vote sent “a strongly negative signal” to European counterparts and also to multinational companies.