Ireland's future is within Europe, Cowen tells Dáil

Irish voters have endeared themselves to "misguided" far-right groups by rejecting the Lisbon Treaty but the country still wants to wed its future to the European Union, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said today.

Opening a five-hour debate in the Dáil, Mr Cowen said Irish people were not proud to see the National Front leader Jean Marie le Pen or Eurosceptics rejoicing in the referendum result.