Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Last Thursday a majority of Irish voters chose to reject the Lisbon treaty. That is the decision of the referendum. The Lisbon treaty has been rejected, and that decision must be respected.

The Labour Party campaigned vigorously for a "Yes" vote because we believed the treaty was an important step forward in creating a progressive and democratic Europe that would better address the needs of the people of Europe and because we believed it to be in Ireland's national interest. I pay tribute in the House to the work of my colleague Deputy Joe Costello, who co-ordinated and led the Labour Party campaign.

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