Gilmore turns down meeting with Sarkozy

Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore tonight turned down an invitation to meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy dubbing proposed talks a sound bite type return of the debate on the Lisbon Treaty.

Mr Gilmore said the format of a round-table meeting to be held on Monday afternoon in the French Embassy was pointless.

Mr Sarkozy, who took over the EU presidency on July 1, will make a short visit to Dublin on Monday with the aim of coming up with a solution to the institutional crisis sparked by the Irish result.

The trip was shrouded in controversy since the French President was reported as saying that Ireland would have to hold a second referendum after rejecting the EU reform package last month.

Mr Gilmore – who supported the Treaty – said he has been told up to 16 organisations would attend the round table meeting, which is scheduled to last one hour.

“It is unclear what, if anything, such a meeting could actually achieve,” he said.

Mr Gilmore said the time allowed would not permit any real engagement on the issues.

“In all probability such a meeting would probably become a re-enactment of the Lisbon debate,” he continued.

“That debate is over and the referendum has delivered a result.

“No purpose is served now by a short sound bite type return of the debate. It is clear to me that the format proposed is not one that can to elicit the diverse views of the Irish public on this complex matter.”

The Labour leader said the No vote returned by Irish voters in the referendum was a European issue.

“Ireland has a responsibility to contribute to the solution to the present impasse, but this is a European problem as well as an Irish one,” he continued.

“In this context, and as President of the European Council, Mr Sarkozy is welcome to Ireland and I wish his visit well.

“The Labour Party is committed to contributing to a full and frank discussion, both here, and at European level, as to how this matter can be progressed. Monday’s meeting, as proposed, does not fulfil that objective.”