Poll indicates further hardening of attitude on Lisbon
Issued : Sunday 27 July, 2008
Statement by Joe Costello TD
Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with responsibility for Trade and Development
The Latest Red C Poll indicates the extent to which there has been a further hardening of attitude among the electorate against a rerun of the Lisbon Treaty.
With an increasing percentage of voters now opposed to the Lisbon Treaty, the proposal for a second referendum should not even be on the agenda.
The EU must accept that the Irish rejection of Lisbon cannot be solved simply by a second vote by the Irish
There must be a period of reflection, where all 27 countries participate collectively in seeking to determine a way forward
It appears that the European election in June 2009 can only take place under the Nice criteria. The sooner this is accepted by the Irish Govt, and communicated by the Taoiseach to the rest of the Member States, the sooner progress can be made in looking to a broader solution in the future.
