Cóir has said that the European Union needs a new direction, not a rehashed treaty which would ignore the underlying problems with the democratic deficit in Europe. Speaking in the wake of Ireland's resounding No to the Lisbon Treaty, Cóir spokesman Richard Greene said that it was "farcical and fundamentally undemocratic to speak of 'improving' or 'amending' the Lisbon Treaty in order to offer it again to the Irish people."

And Mr Greene also had a strong message for an Taoiseach Brian Cowen: "The only obligation on Mr Cowen at this point in time is to tell his EU counterparts that the Lisbon Treaty is dead in the water and that the ratification process must cease immediately. If Mr Cowen does not feel competent to represent the wishes of the people then he should resign immediately," he said.

The Cóir spokesman said that the attitude of Irish political representatives in the past three days was "utterly despicable and unworthy of a sovereign people". He especially deplored any suggestions that the people would be forced to vote again on what he described as a "treaty which cannot be patched up by concessions since the premise on which is has been written is fundamentally flawed."

The Lisbon Treaty was designed to make Europe less representative, less democratic and more federalized. The 'No' vote shows that the Irish people wanted to keep the right to decide on many important issues - whether it be taxation, defence or important moral issues. That decision should now send an important message to the EU elites in Brussels, since what began as a European economic project has now led to unelected bureaucrats wanting the right to rule absolutely. This proposed challenge to freedom and sovereignty was rightly rebuffed by the Irish people.

The European Union now needs a period of reflection and consultation which was supposed to follow the French and Dutch 'No' votes. Cóir strongly recommends as a minimum that:

- Any treaty which transfers sovereignty away from the people of any member state to the European Union should only be ratified by a popular vote in every member state.

- There should be a shift of power from the unelected Commission back to the people.

- The population-based voting system currently being proposed be dropped since it represents a power-grab by the Big States

- The so-called Charter of Rights should be scrapped; it does not recognize the right to life from conception not does it support the natural family. In any case Ireland has her own charter of rights - Bunreacht na hÉireann which puts the Irish people in charge.

- The Irish government adopts a new attitude to EU negotiations, one which will best serve the people by demanding our rights are protected. They should begin by reclaiming our fishing rights which were given away in a fool's bargain which has cost the Irish people €200 billion.

Source : Cóir

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