Taoiseach Brian Cowen told the Dáil today that some members of the European Council were "perplexed" at the Irish electorate's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty earlier this month.
Mr Cowen attended a meeting of the European Council in Brussels last Thursday and Friday where he presented his "initial assessment" of the referendum result.
In a statement read out to the Dáil today, Mr Cowen said he was pleased that the Council conclusions reflected "the views and concerns I brought to the meeting, including the need to fully respect the Irish No vote in the referendum."
Taoiseach Brian Cowen said that Council members were concerned
However, Mr Cowen said that while Council members accepted the outcome, they were nonetheless "very concerned" at what it meant for the future of the Treaty.
"Many of them were perplexed – some found it hard to understand how Ireland could reject a Treaty which they see as improving the functioning of the Union and redressing perceived difficulties of democratic accountability", the Taoiseach said.
Mr Cowen said many had made it clear to him that they had "no wish" to revisit the text of the Treaty adding that some "sought guidance on the type of time frame that Ireland would require to analyse and reflect on what had happened."
The Taoiseach told the Council that it was "simply too early to know how to move forward. I was straightforward and honest and said that I did not have answers at this time."
"I stressed that the views and concerns expressed in the campaign were varied and complex. There is no quick fix or easy solution at this stage. I underlined that we must not pre-judge how this dilemma might be resolved", he said.
Mr Cowen said that on the basis of his initial assessment of the vote that "the Council agreed more time is necessary to analyse the situation and noted that the Irish Government will actively consult, internally and
with the other Member States, in order to suggest a way forward."
The Council also noted that 19 Member States have ratified the Treaty and that the ratification process would continue in other countries.
The Taoiseach said the Council agreed to his suggestion that it would revisit the issue in October and underlined the need "not to become distracted from the core business of continuing to deliver concrete results in the various policy areas of concern to the citizen."