Lisbon Treaty fallout - We must not be left on EU sidelines

IT’S no exaggeration to say Europe is in political chaos in the aftermath of Ireland’s dramatic rejection of the Lisbon Treaty. Over the weekend, from Ballydehob to Brussels, confusion has deepened amid a blizzard of claim and counter-claim from opposing sides.

Not surprisingly, the blame game is in full swing, with the Government coming under intense fire.

Clearly, scathing criticism of the coalition’s failure to get the ‘yes’ campaign up and running in time to nullify the arguments of the ‘no’ side is fully warranted.

The inescapable fact is that while the ‘yes’ camp was sleep-walking, the ‘no’ campaigners were out there on the nation’s doorstep, raising genuine issues, but also whipping up fears by attributing red herrings like abortion, conscription, globalisation and militarism to Lisbon.

Legally, according to the no campaign, the treaty is dead in the water. Without Ireland, as Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams put it yesterday, the treaty is finished because it must be ratified by all 27 countries of the EU.

Morally speaking, from a pro-Lisbon perspective the greater good is on the side of the 26 other EU states. And after seven years of difficult negotiations, Europe’s leaders are adamant the treaty will go ahead.

Far from shredding the Lisbon document, they are right to press for a more cohesive, efficient, and more accountable Europe. It would be disastrous if Ireland is left behind, and a protocol must be arranged to bring this country on board.

According to Britain’s Foreign Minister, it is up to the Taoiseach to apply the last rites to Lisbon. But Mr Cowen remains unclear on how the Government will proceed. Worryingly, this apparent lack of clarity on the way forward does not inspire confidence.

That uncertainty was ringing in yesterday’s vague expression of hope that when he meets fellow leaders this week, they would help Ireland out of its dilemma. If he is told Ireland should solve problems of its own making, it will confirm the Euro-sceptic view of Brussels.

No doubt, President Nicolas Sarkozy will be far from happy knowing he will be presiding over a political shambles when France assumes the EU presidency next month. The Taoiseach should not hesitate to remind him that French voters overwhelmingly rejected much the same treaty as Lisbon when they gave a loud “‘non”’ to the proposed EU constitution.

Ominously, the possibility of a twin-track EU club is looming, with 26 members going in one direction while Ireland lingers alone in the doldrums. Compelling arguments for including this country must begin today when Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin meets his EU counterparts in Brussels.

Hopefully, he will perform better than in the Government’s lacklustre campaign. As director of the Fianna Fáil machine, he shares responsibility for the lack of clarity, conviction and coherence of the yes camp.

The referendum has left Mr Cowen weakened and his judgment in question. Instead of putting his stamp on government, Lisbon was a political nightmare. Though he insists we will remain fully in the EU, Ireland’s membership of the elite club has been badly tarnished and seriously compromised under his leadership.