The Minister for Finance Mr McCreevy today described last week’s rejection of the Nice Treaty as a "remarkably healthy development".
Speaking at the EU summit in Gothenburg Mr McCreevy said EU criticism of his budget may have been a factor in the decision by the electorate to vote against the Treaty.
"I take the peculiar view, and maybe it is throwback to my days as a student, that it is a remarkably healthy development in Ireland," he told RTÉ News.
Mr McCreevy said although all the political parties, media and social partners supported a Yes vote, "the plain people in their wisdom decided to vote No".
"Politicians don't like it when people vote against them, but speaking as an old-fashioned sixties' liberal, I thought it was a very healthy sign," he said.
He said there was no point in people in Ireland or Europe criticising the Irish people for their democratic decision.
"We are a sovereign nation. For 700 years we didn't take lying down too easily and I think the result of the referendum can be looked upon as a positive thing."
McCreevy said despite the vote he still thought people are very committed to enlargement of the EU.
But Fine Gael has taken issue with the Minister’s comments. The party leader Mr Michael Noonan was reported by RTÉ as saying Mr McCreevy’s remarks were reckless. He said it turned himself, the Taoiseach Mr Ahern and cabinet members into figures of fun.