Cowen: this is not mandate for Nama
TAOISEACH Brian Cowen says the Lisbon referendum cannot be seen as a mandate for the Government as it sets about establishing Nama or introducing the Budget in December.
Speaking at Government Buildings yesterday, Mr Cowen insisted these were "national competencies" that could only be introduced with the support of a Dail majority.
"These are national competencies -- to use the Lisbon terminology -- that are exclusively ours alone, and our own constitutional arrangements in terms of parliamentary support determines whether they stand or fall, and I believe that they will stand," he said.
"That's the path we now have ahead of us. And we go into that task mindful of the fact that the facts don't change on the ground. But this vote will give a lot of heart to people, it will uplift the spirits that we can make positive steps forward ourselves."
The Taoiseach said the concessions Ireland had secured had helped to allay the idea that the EU was "unthinking or uncaring" when it came to concerns of the Irish people. He said they also helped the Government to avoid the "ping pong debate" that had dominated the first Lisbon referendum campaign last year.
"We did not go on the negative ground with anybody unless we had to rebut clear and obvious errors," he said.
- RONALD QUINLAN
Originally published in
