With the eyes of Dublin

“Teachtaireacht an-simplí atá agam inniu; Go raibh maith agat, a Éire: lá mór is ea é, d’Éirinn agus don Eoraip”: José Manuel Barroso astonished may observers of European questions, but certainly not Irish electors. As soon as he heard the positive result of the referendum for the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon, the President of the Commission issued a statement in Gaelic, a language still cultivated and spoken in the “emerald isle” and indeed inserted among the 23 official languages of the EU. “My message today – said Barroso, translating his remarks – is simple: Thank you Ireland. This is a great day, for Ireland and for Europe as a whole”. The fears of a new halt to institutional reforms have been allayed and now the gaze of EU-watchers is being transferred from Dublin to Warsaw and Prague, where the last two signatures to the “mini-Constitution” are awaited.“A stronger Europe”. The Irish referendum of 2 October saw a growth in participation in the referendum (59% of the electorate), in comparison with the last ballot 16 months ago: a sign that the vote was considered important for the country and for Europe as a whole. Those who voted “yes” to the Lisbon Treaty totalled 67.1% against 32.9% who voted “no”. Irish Premier Brian Cowen, in favour of the Treaty, on the approval of which he has invested his political future, declared: “The Irish people have made their voice heard, loud and clear. We have taken a decisive step for a stronger Ireland and for a stronger Europe”. Declan Ganley, one of the most conspicuous exponents of the opposite front, admitted: “It was a decision of crucial importance for Ireland and the decision was taken”. Reforms awaited. Now attention is turned to the two countries in which, although the Treaty has been ratified by their Parliaments, the signature of their respective Presidents is now awaited: in Poland the Head of State is Lech Kaczynski, in the Czech Republic it is Václav Klaus. The former has already made it known that he will add his signature to the EU reform treaty; the latter, on the other hand, will wait for the ruling of the Constitutional Court. Both know that the eyes of member states and EU institutions are focused on them and that any further delay would force long-awaited and shared reforms to be postponed, isolating the “delayers” from the European family.Electors reassured. The comments of leading exponents of Council, Commission and Parliament to the Irish referendum were understandably positive, even enthusiastic; so too were those of most of the political groups in the European Parliament. Only the conservative, euro-sceptics and far left remain opposed to the Lisbon Treaty, albeit for different reasons. “Today is a great day for Europe – said Fredrik Reinfeldt, Swedish Prime Minister and current President of the European Council -. Europe has listened to the requests made by the Irish people and answered them”. The reference is to the assurances given to Dublin about the non-interference of the EU in matters of concern to the protection of life, family legislation, taxation and military neutrality. “I am convinced – observed Reinfeldt – that the Lisbon Treaty will make the enlarged Union more democratic, effective and transparent”.Reinfeldt’s strategy. Reinfeldt has already formulated a plan to accelerate the timetable for the entry into force of the Treaty. Assuming that the signature of the Polish President is a foregone conclusion, a meeting has been convened in Brussels on 7 October to “assess the situation” with Czech Premier Jan Fischer. On the same day the question will be discussed in plenary session by the European Parliament. On 8 October, Swedish Foreign Minister Cecilia Malmström will fly to Prague. To return to the Irish vote, Barroso maintains that the victory of the “yes” campaign was favoured by the “mass of information” furnished to Irish citizens, “together with the constitutional guarantees” given by Brussels, “including the maintenance of a Commissioner for each member state”, in contrast to what is provided by the Treaty.Working together. According to Jerzy Buzek, President of the EP, “the Irish people have given proof of great devotion to the European project”. “We are writing the history of Europe together”, he added, with emphasis. The Polish politician now looks to the future: “We must work to overcome the difficulties. Our citizens are concerned by economic questions, unemployment, the energy problem, immigration and demographic trends. We must act together, as we have done in the past, in a spirit of solidarity”. Joseph Daul, head of the People’s Party group in the EP, says: “I wish to thank Irish electors for the wisdom of which they have given proof”. According to the leader of the Socialists, Martin Schulz, “this vote opens the doors to a stronger, more efficient and prosperous Europe”. Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Liberal Democratic group, reflects: “Europe is not the cause, but the solution to the great problems that face us today”.