Don't anyone fool themselves into thinking that everyone in Ireland who voted NO is an ignorant Paddy. All the peoples of the EU must be given a vote and if we all say "yes" to this awful Treaty then under the rules of Democracy it must be ratified. Otherwise Lisbon is DEAD!.

JPR, Cobh, Ireland

To all who bash the Irish: The referendum was required because it involved constitutional change. That is true for ALL 27 states. Governments are NOT elected to force constitutional change. In a democracy, that power MUST rest with the people. Ergo, Ireland is the only democracy left in Europe.

Bill, Suzhou, China

Sebastian

Ireland contributes plenty to Europe - Ireland, like UK were the only ones in the EU who opened our boarders to immigrants to work here, many of whom are now returning to their own countries with money they have made. This money is not being put back into our ecomomies.

John, dublin, Ireland

When a referendum has been promised and witheld because a 'no' vote is anticipated, the word tyranny is appropriate and tyrants should beware the Aides of March. The Grand Remonstrance was written in different circumstances, but its intent is applicable today. De Montfort and Cromwell were right.

J Williams, Manchester, UK

Let's give some credit to the Irish for disapproving an unpopular treaty. Government officials who have approved this treaty against the wishes of their people deserve to be turned out of office.

MIKE, NYC, USA

If your quotation actualy represents what Sarkozy said, it crystallises the arrogance of all those 'leaders' who decided these things for us poor ignorant peasants. Who paid for all those upmarket Starck souvenirs? Where's mine?
About time we added an emetic to the gravy on the train.

Bill Q, Derby,

the Lisbon treaty does not need to referenda to be approved, we live in representative democracies, not direct democracies.
Roll on europe.

Daniel Leeto, Bradford , UK

That picture at the top of the article says more than words ever could about why I am against further EU integration.

Neil McF, Southampton, England

The Irish are impossibly ungrateful. Thirty years ago Ireland was the poorest country of western europe and look now. One of the richest. Maybe they should look back and realize what the EU has given them.

Jaap, Houten, The Netherlands

I challenge Mr Sarkozy to give the citizens of his country a referendum, the answer would be the same as Ireland. The EU is a consiracy run by conmen, nationalism will not be overcome not even by trickery and deceit. Democracy NON NON.

G. Pickles, Leeds, W Yorks

If Sarkozy is so sure of the treaty, why doesn't he put it to a vote in France and see if the rest of the French agree?

Paul, Dublin,

We are being asked to tighten our belts and Sarko is proposing to throw millions of our Euros at a meaningless jamboree as are ourself important leaders on this "summit" Off with their heads, they certainly aren't using them

Liz Brown, Montmartin en Graignes,

If by January 2010, we have not got our selfs out of this, we will find our selfs in a Nationalist Socialist dictatorship and will HAVE NO FREE WILL AND LIBERTY! England wake up damn it!!!

Andrew Balmbra, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne&Wear

So an ultimatum! from the dictators of Europe. It was70 years ago the same language was used. Do they think that the young people of Europe are not as strong in their beliefs of freedom. The EU does not yet have their own army to suppress dissent! . . . but they are asking for one!

andy, london,

All EU countries are democratic republics. Their representatives all voted in favor of the Treaty. Ireland's representatives said they approved the Treaty.

The Irish referendum was a "No" by individuals who didn't know what the larger picture of the Treaty was.

That's why we have republics.

Dave Sweningsen, Boulder City, U.S.A.

You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. This government sorely underestimates the contempt we have for it and its unjust policies. MPs would do well to reflect on a document entitled the Grand Remonstrance.

Cromwell, Leeds, England

Will this delay, possibly of 4 months,and that has been occasioned by the outcome of the Irish referendum ,allow more time for Tony Blair to get himself sorted-out ....and so be suitable to become the EU's first President?

Michael Blatchford, Bath , UK

too late the end is here stand by for the new world order! mad! just wait and see.

tom, little heath, uk

Brown - you fool, listen!


Throwing this treaty (constitution) away could be a vote winner.

R. Williams, London, UK

We should be allowed to vote!!! we live in democracies apparently! but ask yourself this why are we not allowed I wonder?… is it because they would find it not just one nations people that does not want to be part of a corrupt mock of the USA aka EU but all the nations !!!!

j, leeds,

It is possible that the dreaded Tony Blair could be offered the Permanent Pesidency of the EU. This would be absolutely rejected by the British Public and government. We have had enough slimy lies from him. A general strike may convince the EU, they understand strikes more than anyone.

M Wilson, Bidache, france

Ok its about time we English told this illlegal government that we are not playing ball with them! We English do not want to be in the EU dictatorship. But want to be in a Democratic country called England. I am not going to be happy if I am told I must forget my heritage!!

Andrew Balmbra, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne&Wear

"The Treaty of Lisbon has now been approved by nineteen member states...". Yes, by the governments of those states. The only state that has given its people a vote has come up with a "no". But the EU doesn't want to listen to the people, so nobody else gets a vote and they ratify. Democracy??

Sarah , Bad Liebenstein, Germany

You can not read the Lisbon treaty because they have not finished writing it.

Tim C, Southern England, United Kingdom

Anybody over there like a rather battered Constitution to replace
the Lisbon Treaty?

We aren't using ours.

Doug, Vancouver, USA

This all reminds me of the Act of Union in 1707 when Scotland's self-anointed political elite jumped on the London gravy train. Peerages all round ! As Burns put it - "Such a parcel of rogues in a nation".

Peter, Dinan, Brittany

How many times have we been left with that quote from Labour Ministers ringing in our ears " we are listening to the people" well if that is the case they should join the long NHS queue for a hearing aid.
All together now, as loud as you can; WE WANT TO VOTE.

peter gee, bognor regis,

The Irish are "bloody fools", eh Sarkozy? Because they were the only country to give their people a democratic choice in the sovereignty of their country? Unity is not subservience. EU leaders should learn a bit about Irish history before they try to bully them into accepting the treaty.

Ryan, Los Angeles, USA

Brown being "applauded"? Must be nice to be somewhere you're popular. Shame he had to sell out democracy to do it. Whatever happened to that "moral compass"?

Mike Hanlon, Hatfield, UK

The arrogance of the Eurocrats knows no bounds. The so-called 'European Union' is the Fourth Reich and should be dismantled as soon as possible. The Republic of Ireland is the last bastion of democracy of Europe.

Paul, Coventry,

If this treaty is so important to Europe's survival as an entity, let's start acting like that... The treaty goes forward period!
The countries that don't support the idea, are welcome to leave the Union (are you listening Irish???). I'll give it 6 months, until they BEGGED to join again!

Simon, Braga, Portugal

A Scot is doing his best to destroy England's sovereignty, and the French head of state is right behind him. Is this the 21st century, or the Middle Ages? England needs to reassert its right to be an independent nation.

EJ Murray's comments are typical of the unbearable arrogance of the EUphiles.

Oliver Chettle, Bedford,

Welcome to Eurotocracy - good bye democracy! Britain had better force those ignorant Irish to vote the way that Brussels requires, or else!

David, Minneapolis, USA

Does it matter what Sarkozy or anyone else in Europe thinks about Brown and the UK or Irish OUR government was suprisingly put in power to do what the voters wanted a point that they seem to have lost sight of.
The Irish did well, but we do not need "Mugabiesk" politics in UK. No means No

keithw, Wirral, UK

I hope that Sarkozy's praise will compensate him for the loss of favour with the British public. He should not have ratified the Lisbon treaty.

Tom, london,

There is a pattern emerging all over the world where elections that do not turn out the way the corporate elite would like are simply brushed aside and the new initiatives are implemented as though the election had gone their way. Citizens, awake to the fact that our democratic republics are dying.

Gregg Harris, Gresham, USA

Democracy, European style. Maybe every Irish citizen should stay behind after class until they come round to the right answer. Francisco and Benito would feel right at home in modern Europe.

David Masu, Zürich,

Who are these so-called "leaders"?

Democracies appoint representatives.

The Irish vote shows that the population is fed up with being railroaded into an illegitimate super-republic by self-appointed "leaders" with their noses in the expenses trough and no mandate.

alan calverd, bishops stortford, UK

John Gormley is of course entirely right. A similar vote in England would certainly produce a resounding NO. Mandelson is with the EU because he is too dishonest to survive in politics in England - Blair was obliged to "put him out to grass" to save both their skins. Their motives remain the same

Ian, Berwick, UK

There is no country in Europe that has benefited to the extend as Ireland has and no country that has contributed so little. The Irish have chosen their way and they should be allowed to follow it, should this mean a two lane Europe, so be it.

Sebastian, London, UK

as Mr Cameron said to Mr Brown, "wish part of NO don't you understand"

Hopefully the Irish government will not be bullied and comply with the will of the people

Mike, Sole Street, England

I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in the Bilderberg meeting at the beginning of June!

Hugh O'Neill, Chichester, U.K.

Brown should find himself another job in his beloved euro state while he is over there , he may have more luck than Blair because he is a yes man. No english man would do what he has done, that is why Blair got out before he was told what to do by the euro gang.

sid james, lancashire, england

To Garrett of Dublin.

The "No" that the EU does not understand is the "No" that arose as a result of ill-informed people voting no in the referendum.

At least now, the Irish government will have time to read the treaty from cover to cover and let the Irish people know what's in it.

E J Murray, Kerry, Ireland

its time gorden brown let us have a referendum on wether or not the british people want to go any further into europe and well done the irish.

Colin Whittington, merseyside,

Brown is wallowing in the champagne of his betrayal of the British electorate. Public opinion in the UK has no place in our system of democracy unless it agrees with Nu-Labours desires. Unless the Conservatives make a sustained stand on this issue the BNP and others will enter the ring.

Robert Carmichael, Kirk Ella,, East Yorks.,

Socialism in all its bare, naked, discrimantory, dictatorial, wicked awfulness - people like Mandelson and Brown are below contempt as is their quest to create a Fabian superstate - they all know if the vote was given to British people we would echo the Irish-Labour have murdered democracy in the UK

Bryan, Totland, UK

"European Union leaders have given Ireland's Prime Minister four months ..."
What breathtaking effrontery.
They said NO guys.
Maybe we'll all give YOU four months - to pack your EUbags and go.

Sean, Coventry, UK

is Mr Brown a Labourite or a Stalinist

Mike, Sole Street, England

2+2=4
0+0=0
Unless of course you're in the Common Market/EC/EU.

Keith, Grantham,

In all honesty, who do the EU leader think they are? Dictating that we have four months to save a treaty we clearly rejected is only going to make us more determined to defeat it the next time they're foolish enough to shovel it back in front of us. Do they work for us or we for them?

Garrett, Dublin,

In all honesty, who do the EU leader think they are? Dictating that we have four months to save a treaty we clearly rejected is only going to make us more determined to defeat it the next time they're foolish enough to shovel it back in front of us. What part of NO did they not understand?

Garrett, Dublin,

In all honesty, who do the EU leader think they are? Dictating that we have four months to save a treaty we clearly rejected is only going to make us more determined to defeat it the next time they're foolish enough to shovel it back in front of us. What part of NO did they not understand?

Garrett, Dublin,

In all honesty, who do the EU leader think they are? Dictating that we have four months to save a treaty we clearly rejected is only going to make us more determined to defeat it the next time they're foolish enough to shovel it back in front of us. What part of NO did they not understand?

Garrett, Dublin,

How and why would Ireland want to save something that they have already said they don't want?

End Europe now.

J.Wilkes, Gloucester,

We have to do something about this. Who ae these people who think they know betetr than the voters? Such breathtaking arrogance!
How can we get rid of them? Has anyone any suggestions?
The next general election is too fa away, I fear.

grindles, London, england

Why? The people of Ireland have had their say - what else is there to discuss?

Robert, Epping, UK

The 'explanation' is that the people of Europe, when asked, reject the undemocratic EU superstate on offer through the Lisbon Treaty. The Treaty has been approved by 19 governments, not the people of 19 member states. This an outrageous affront to democracy.

Kevin, Leeds,

It's ridiculous. Ireland is forced to accept what is 'GIVEN' from EU. Their leaders should give in and please do not run referendums again and again. It's just a waste of the money from taxpayers. EU is too strong and Ireland is too weak... you have to give in, Ireland. Democracy is just a joke.

Ran, York, UK

The main problem with the EU is that with the exception of Britain (and Eire) and the scandinavians all the other countries were either fascist ( Italy,spain,portugal greece and germany) or communist dictatorships ( most new members), until just 30 years ago. They will never change.

Jt, stortford, uk

Overall the whole EU thing is nothing other than class war. The suits clearly gain by it, hence their support. Also, their attempts by all sorts of means to bypass democracy, showing their true arrogance. For those who actually produce for a living, the EU is a farce. give every country a vote

C McCoy, Saskatoon, Canada

Extraordinary that the Irish are blamed for taking the "wrong" decision and have to come up with a solution to the problem. The Lisbon Treaty cannot now be implemented - end of story. The EU should accept that, move on and find other more acceptable ways to rectify its democratic deficit.

Stepan, Glasgow, Scotland

Pete, St Albans, you're quite right, we should all vote.

But which is the democratic choice:
a) If any country votes no, the treaty is dead?
b) If a majority of European citizens say yes, it's ok.
c) If a majority of countries say yes, it's ok.

Dave Gordon, Edinburgh, UK

Europe is beginning to sound like Zimbabwe, in other words "keep voting until you give us the answer we want"! Thankfully, without the violence.

David Gibson, Coventry, UK

Proof that the vote was never going to be taken seriously and that the Euros had already made their minds up what they wre going to do. Mandelson is a joke.

Craig , Liverpool, UK

Amazing, the one country allowed to vote have rejected it, the the EU leaders tell that country it must be saved. Well, how about all the other countries being given the chance to vote on it. There is a word for the vote, now whats it called....... Ahh thats it, DEMOCRACY!

Pete, St Albans, England