Vote was 'above party politics'

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the result of the Lisbon Treaty referendum was a victory for the Irish people.

At the central count centre in Dublin Castle yesterday, Mr Kenny said the people of Ireland had exercised their power in an enlightened way.

“It was a victory clearly for the people who rose above the anger of politics and the cynicism of politics to put their country first,” he said.

“This approval of Lisbon by the Irish people sets Ireland and keeps Ireland right at the central axis of decision-making in Europe.”

Mr Kenny said people were right not to use the vote as a reason to punish the Government. However he said it was now back to politics as usual.

“I have rarely come across such a deep anger and frustration and resentment that there is against the Government,” he said.

“Fine Gael will return to the issues of domestic politics and the removal of this Government, the seeking of a new mandate to give a new government to implement a new plan to get our country back to work.”

Asked if he thought people like Mary Harney and Eoin Ryan would make good commissioners, Mr Kenny said he was not going to comment on that.

“I could give you a few nominations of people of real substance. Let's say we don't want just any hack person appointed to this for the sake of making an appointment from a political perspective.”