No crisis for Europe after referendum result, says anti-treaty campaign

Anti-treaty campaigners have dismissed assertions from EU leaders that Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty could throw the EU into crisis.

During the weekend, the French president Nicolas Sarkozy called on the 26 other member states to go ahead and ratify the treaty without Ireland's support.

The No camp said this is not legally possible and that a re-run of the referendum here would be met with staunch opposition.

They want the Taoiseach Brian Cowen to tell EU leaders that the treaty is dead when he meets with them this week.

Patricia McKenna, chairperson of the People's Movement, said the people of Europe support Ireland's rejection of the treaty.

"The only crisis it has now sparked is for the political leadership of Europe, who have wanted to forge ahead with this treaty, despite the fact that as Sarkozy himself has admitted, that if he asked his own people for their opinion on this treaty they would reject it," Ms Mc Kenna said.

"It's clear that the only people put out by the decision of the Irish people is the political elite of Europe, and not the citizens."