Federalists welcome Irish Completion of Democratic Treaty Process

The Irish people have given their decisive backing to the Lisbon treaty. This vote does credit to all those political forces in Ireland which have had to combat, over many months, the lies and distortions about the European project peddled by nationalists and europhobes.

The vote means that Irish voices will continue to be influential in the politics of the EU. The common interest of all Europe will always have an Irishness about it.

Ireland has clearly and decisively added its weight to the building of a stronger, more effective and more democratic European Union.

Now all 27 countries have taken their own democratic decisions to back EU reform. No further delay can be tolerated in bringing the treaty into force as quickly and efficiently as possible. It would be the height of folly for Mr Vaclav Klaus to block the entry into force of the treaty. One does not expect the President of the Czech Republic to behave like a vexatious litigant.

The world waits while the European Union concludes its internal constitutional controversies. Lisbon in force will make the EU strong in world affairs and provide Europe’s states and citizens with good government of a federal character. Let’s get on with the job.

UEF Belgium