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WORLD> Europe
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Ireland rejects EU treaty
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-06-13 23:54 European leaders have said they would be baffled if Ireland -- whose 1990s Celtic Tiger economic boom was partly-fuelled by European money -- was to vote against the treaty. But opponents rallied support for the "no" campaign around claims including that the treaty threatens sensitive Irish policies like the ban on abortion, low corporation tax and military neutrality. Libertas, a group run by Ganley, and left-wing Sinn Fein, led by Gerry Adams, were among the most prominent "no" campaigners. Ganley had urged people to vote "no" so that Ireland can retain a stronger voice in Europe which he said would be wiped out by the treaty. Speaking before the results he said a "no" would mean that "work can immediately begin on constructing a better vision of Europe for all its 490 million citizens." Opposition Labour party leader, who joined the ruling Fine Fail and Fine Gael parties in backing the treaty, admitted defeat even before the final results were confirmed. "The Lisbon Treaty has been rejected by the voters in this country," he said, adding that it "cannot now be ratified because it requires unanimity across all 27 member states. "The Lisbon Treaty is dead," he said. |
