The result of the Nice referendum did not show that Irish citizens had lost their enthusiasm for Europe, according to the European Commission President, Mr Romano Prodi. "But I do believe it shows they are unhappy about some important aspects of EU integration and about the way we conduct our business."
Mr Prodi was guest of honour at an official dinner in Dublin Castle last night, hosted by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and Ms Celia Larkin. The Commission President said the Irish were not alone in their unhappiness about certain aspects of the EU.
"It is a malaise that affects people in all member-states and I believe we need to address it seriously. Many heads of government, including the Taoiseach, share my concern."
The Irish people had spoken and he respected their wishes: "I am delighted to be here to talk to you, but above all I want to listen and to understand the Irish people's attitude Europe and its future."
He welcomed the proposed Forum on Europe as a "clear response to the concerns expressed by many voters in recent weeks". Similar arrangements would be made in all member-states.
But he stressed that enlargement had to go ahead swiftly: "The Nice Treaty, imperfect though it is, clears the way." He sincerely hoped the final decision of the Irish people would be "based on the treaty's contents and its implications rather than on other issues".
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said support for the European Union and Ireland's full engagement in the EU was "a fundamental cornerstone of Government policy". Ireland's present and future success was "indissolubly bound up with the EU".
The Forum on Europe had been planned before the referendum but the No vote had made a national debate all the more important. "It needs to address people's genuine anxieties and concerns about the future direction of the Union and the sense that European institutions can be obscure, remote and unaccountable."
Stressing the "very many" positive aspects of EU membership, including its "profound impact" on the Northern Ireland problem, the Taoiseach continued: "After nearly 30 years of membership it should be clear to everyone that the EU is not `them'; it is `us'. Its institutions are our institutions. Its future is our future. Each of us has a say in every decision."
A period of debate and reflection had begun. "This is needed before we can decide how exactly we should proceed."
But there should be no doubt about the Government's determination to find a way forward. Enlargement was both a historic opportunity and a moral duty: "I believe passionately in this. So do all my ministerial colleagues. So does my party. There can be no ambiguity about that," Mr Ahern said.
Earlier, in an interview with RTE, Mr Prodi was asked about his comments that enlargement could go ahead even if the Nice Treaty were not ratified. He replied that he had been told the view of some legal experts was that this was the case.