TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen pledged last night to work for a political agreement that takes the Irish concerns on the Lisbon Treaty into account at this week's EU summit in Brussels.
Mr Cowen said the will of the people, as expressed in the referendum on June 12th, must be respected. "Over the months since the referendum we have carefully analysed the outcome, and in particular the many concerns which contributed to it. Those concerns were heartfelt and we have a collective responsibility to seek to allay them.
"When I travel to the European Council this week, I will be aiming to achieve a political agreement that the concerns of the Irish public with regard to the treaty will be responded to in a satisfactory way, both in substance and in a legally robust manner," he said.
Launching a book in Dublin, Ireland and the European Unionby Brigid Laffan and Jane O'Mahony, the Taoiseach said it was his view that the future of Ireland and Europe were inexorably bound.
"The union is the most effective mechanism for Ireland to have our voice heard and our concerns reflected in the international responses to global issues. All of this points to the need for us to understand our relationship with Europe better. That must happen at all levels," said Mr Cowen.
He said everybody needed reminding that Europe was far too important to take for granted.
"This week I will meet with other heads of state and government at the European Council where we will deal with three key issues: the Lisbon Treaty, climate change, and the international economic and financial crisis. Climate change and the financial crisis are two good examples of areas where we are almost entirely exposed to what happens at the international level. "Clearly we both want, and need, to play our role in that. Of course, being able to achieve that brings responsibilities: we have to play our part in the responses which we agree collectively."
He said the book was a very welcome, valuable and timely contribution as it was a scholarly yet accessible account of Ireland's experience of accession to and membership of the EU.
