Irish Opposition: The Government's declared determination to proceed with a European Union constitution referendum is "absurd" following France's rejection, the Green Party has said.
Pressing ahead "with the ratification when the French had said no and with similar outcomes expected in the Netherlands and Britain - is completely illogical", said Green Party Dublin South East TD John Gormley.
"Decoded, this approach is saying to those countries that have rejected the treaty that they have to vote again," Mr Gormley said, urging the Government to follow British prime minister Tony Blair's desire for a period of reflection.
He believed the EU member states would eventually end up cherry-picking parts of the EU constitution that can be implemented without the need for referendums in most EU states, not including Ireland.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael, which continued to back ratification of the Constitution, said the Government should make no more public declarations about the timing of an Irish referendum until EU leaders met in Brussels in a fortnight's time.
"The European Union must face up to the political reality in which it finds itself," said FG Cork North Central TD Bernard Allen. "As things now stand, France has rejected the constitution by a decisive margin."
The continuation of the ratification process in other member states, thus ignoring the French No and the likely defeat of the referendum in the Netherlands tomorrow, could be counter-productive. "The result in France is regrettable, but I fully respect the democratic wishes of the French people," Mr Allen added.
"It must be recognised, however, that internal dissatisfaction in France played a major role in driving the No vote and that the treaty itself was rarely attacked."
