Prodi gets the message from `no' groups

In a "mutually respectful" meeting the No to Nice campaign told the President of the European Commission yesterday that the Irish rejection of the treaty could "not be isolated as an Irish problem". Addressing a press briefing in Dublin following their meeting with Mr Romano Prodi, the key protagonists in the anti-Nice campaign said they told Mr Prodi that the Irish electorate's view reflected that held by the wider European electorate.

At the briefing were Ms Patricia McKenna MEP and Ms Nuala Ahern MEP (Green Party); Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon MEP (Independent); Mr Caoimhghin O Caolin TD (Sinn Fein); Mr Fergus MacAogin of Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA); Mr Justin Barret of the No To Nice Campaign; Mr Anthony Coughlan of the National Platform, and Mr Andy Storey of Action from Ireland (AfrI).

The meeting with Mr Prodi had been held to give him information, said Mr Coughlan.

"We were not negotiating or looking for anything special from him," he said.

Ms Scallon told Mr Prodi that the Irish vote should not be regarded as an "Irish problem," she said.

"I know from what is being said within the European Parliament they [other EU governments] would find that the majority of the European people would think exactly as the Irish people do.

"This is a European problem. The majority of people do not want a federal Europe."

She said, however, that Mr Prodi had "made it clear" that the treaty would not be renegotiated.

She also asked Mr Prodi why the EU Commission had not protested when the Council decided, at last week's Gothenberg summit, to continue with the ratification process, despite Ireland's rejection.

"And the answer that was agreed by all present was that the Commission didn't do anything because the Irish Government had agreed that the treaty could be ratified and basically they would take care of the Irish problem. "So we have a fait accompli. We do not have a democratic system, we do not have a democratic and sovereign right to say No because our own Government is not recognising it."

On whether the No campaign would co-operate with the Taoiseach's planned Forum on Europe Mr Barret said it would be "impossible to section out the No vote, to put it into categories and give each one some sweet-sounding words to palliate their feelings". The treaty was rejected as "one solid document", he said. However, Ms Ahern said the No campaign would co-operate if there were assurances there would be "equality and parity of esteem" for both sides.

Referring to Mr Prodi's comments that EU enlargement was legally possible without Nice, Mr Coughlan said the Commission President had done the No side "a good turn".

The Nice Treaty, he said, "was an attempt by the big states to change the rules before allowing any small states in".

The "biggest stumbling block" for the Irish electorate was "our own Government" said Ms McKenna,

"It was agreed this morning that if the Irish Government had said `hold on, you can't ratify this', then the other countries wouldn't be forging ahead with the ratifictaion process," she said. "So really it's our own Government that is our biggest enemy."