Taoiseach rejects SF claim that he failed to act effectively at EU meeting

TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen has rejected Sinn Féin claims that he failed to act effectively when he met EU leaders and that he was “giving oxygen” to the idea of a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

During tetchy Dáil exchanges Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin claimed that EU leaders had “insulted” the Irish electorate by claiming to respect the referendum outcome “while almost speaking at the same time out of both sides of their mouths, urging the continuation of the process of ratification by other member states”.

Mr Cowen insisted however that “there is full respect for an acceptance of the No vote”. He said “no disrespect is being shown and there is no question of people being forced to do anything.

“The only people I ever heard talk about coercion under the guise of democracy were those who subscribed to a theory that one could have the ballot box in one hand and an armalite in the other. That is the only coercion I have ever hear of in Irish democratic circles.”

When Mr Ó Caoláin said that “the history of the Taoiseach’s party is obviously forgotten”, Mr Cowen replied that “the deputy now comes in here and lectures me. As Taoiseach I will not accept that.”

He stressed however that “in the same way as our decision not to ratify the treaty last Thursday week was an exercise in national sovereignty, other countries also have a right to exercise national sovereignty as they see it and make their position clear on the ratification process of the Lisbon Treaty.”

Mr Cowen added: “In the same way that the deputy expects and is entitled to respect for our national decisions, as would I as an Irishman, he must respect other people’s national decisions.

“The basic position has not changed. Unless all member states ratify the treaty, it cannot come into effect.”

He said he had made that point to EU leaders and it was accepted “and the deputy does not need to hammer it to death. There is no issue about it. These are intelligent people who know what the rule is in respect of international treaties. If all member states do not ratify it, it does not come into effect. It is a statement of the obvious”. The question was where they went from here.

When Mr Ó Caoláin said his party had a view and had offered it to Government, the Taoiseach replied that “this is a 27-way street where the agreement of everybody is needed rather than the deputy’s view being imposed on everyone else”.

Asked if he accepted that he was “not free to do what he wants and that the people have given him a clear direction”, Mr Cowen said “I will work within my constitutional remit to defend our interest as I see it to the best of my ability and the people will always be the arbiters of whether I continue in that job”.