Hi °C | Lo °C French President Nicolas Sarkozy was tonight accused of not getting the message that Ireland had rejected the controversial Lisbon Treaty.
Just days after he claimed Ireland must vote again, leading yes and no campaigners held talks with him at the French embassy in Ballsbridge.
Declan Ganley of anti-treaty group Libertas and Patricia McKenna of the People's Movement shrugged off the meeting as predictable and disappointing.
Mr Ganley said that while President Sarkozy was keen to listen to the arguments he was adamant that ratification by all other EU member states should continue.
``The most worrying thing about this meeting is the fact that clearly the message is not properly being heard, perhaps not even being heard at all. We have said no,'' Mr Ganley said.
``This process should continue, this wish to force through this agenda. There is just something fundamentally wrong and broken with that.''
Mr Ganley said Mr Sarkozy acknowledged in the meeting that if the Treaty was put to the French people they would most likely reject it.
But it is understood Mr Sarkozy stressed the French electorate voted for him on the basis that he would tied them through the difficulties created by their rejection of the European Constitution, the forerunner to Lisbon.
Ms McKenna, a former Green Party MEP, said Mr Sarkozy was merely going through the motions by holding the meeting, which was closed to the media.
``He wants to be able to go back to his own people and say I've consulted all sections of Irish society in relation to the Lisbon Treaty, but he is not getting the message,'' Ms McKenna said.
``It was very disappointing when he said that it's only extreme situations that you avoid a vote, in other words that Ireland has to vote again.''
Mr Sarkozy's brief visit to Ireland began with talks at Government Buildings with Taoiseach Brian Cowen and the main opposition parties before the meeting at the embassy.
Sinn Fein, the only Dáil party opposed to ratification, was represented at the talks by its President Gerry Adams.
The Sinn Féin president described today's meeting with EU President Nicolas Sarkozy as useful.
Mr Adams said: "Whilst the process of setting up today's meeting was imperfect it is worth noting that Mr Sarkozy did what the Irish government have failed to, he has met with and listened to those who campaigned against the Lisbon Treaty.
"A number of key issues were touched on during the meeting. I noted to the EU President that the reasons behind the No vote were not as complex as he and others have suggested.
"The Irish electorate were deeply concerned with issues such as democracy, Ireland's loss of power within the EU, neutrality and militarisation, workers rights and public services. Indeed these same concerns are shared by many across the European Union.
"I told Mr. Sarkozy that there can be no re running of the Lisbon Treaty. The Irish people have rejected the Treaty by a clear majority and by the EU's own rules it cannot proceed without the ratification of all member states. The Lisbon Treaty is finished therefore negotiations for a new Treaty must begin.
"Sinn Féin had sought a one to meeting with President Sarkozy during his visit to outline in detail our proposals following the Irish people's rejection of the Treaty.
"Whilst we were not afforded the opportunity to do so on this occasion we will continue to pursue our request. During the meeting I presented to the EU President Sinn Féin's 'A Better Deal is Possible' document which outlines in details our proposals of what a new Treaty deal must contain. "
"I concluded by noting the legitimacy of the EU project will come into question unless the views expressed by the Irish people and shared by many throughout the union are listened to and acted upon."
