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Lisbon Treaty's failure not an Irish problem

Sir,

Regarding 'Ireland shows EU establishment the red card'

Several correspondents and media sources are suggesting that the failed ratification [of the Lisbon Treaty by referendum] in Ireland is, essentially, an Irish problem to be solved through a 'Danish solution' of protocols and so on. 

This fundamentally fails to understand the nature of this referendum defeat. First, by Irish standards, this was a large referendum turnout. Second, anyone who has followed the Irish debate knows that the many issues raised by the 'no' side cannot - in any way - be accommodated by any number of protocols. Third, one of the biggest 'no' issues was keeping the 'Irish' commissioner. Would the other 26 member states care to make that concession to Ireland? 

The Lisbon Treaty is dead. Its defeat reflects the defeat given by the French and Dutch in their referenda on the original Constitution. The Lisbon Treaty defeat is fundamentally a European problem. 

Ben Tonra 

Jean Monnet Professor of European Foreign Security and Defence Policy 

UCD Dublin School of Politics and International Relations

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