Cowen admits options are limited in Lisbon fallout

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen admitted his options were limited in relation to salvaging the Lisbon treaty after he was told by several of his EU colleagues that they do not want to renegotiate the treaty.

But one of the leaders of the no campaign, MEP Kathy Sinnott, insisted the document must be renegotiated and changed before it could be put to a second referendum.

Mr Cowen told a press conference after the summit: “A number indicated that they have no interest in reopening the text of the treaty.”