Official declaration of referendum result, Ireland rejects EU Treaty

(13 Jun 2008) SHOTLIST 1. Various of people in room waiting for results of referendum 2. Maurice Coughlan, Referendum Returning Officer, reads results to crowd (in Gaelic), UPSOUND: cheering 3. Various of people cheering, scenes of jubilation, Couglan asks to be allowed to finish 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Maurice Coughlan, Referendum Returning Officer: "The majority of votes.... The majority of votes against.... The majority of votes against the proposal: 109, 964. A table giving details of the referendum results in each constituency is available at the side of the stage. That concludes the proceedings. Thank you." 5. Various of people cheering wildly at "no" result STORYLINE: The European Union put a brave face on Ireland's "No" to the EU reform treaty on Friday, saying that while it respected "the democratic will" of Irish voters, the process of ratifying the treaty should proceed. Eight of the 27 EU nations have yet to endorse the treaty. There were cheers and celebrations in Dublin as Maurice Coughlan, the Referendum Returning Officer, read out the results. Slovenia, which holds the rotating EU presidency, said EU leaders will debate the way forward at a previously scheduled summit next week in Brussels. Eighteen EU nations have already ratified the treaty. Eight - Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, Cyprus, Sweden and Britain - have yet to do so. The 260-page treaty contains significant institutional reforms, including more majority voting to prevent bureaucratic gridlock in the new larger bloc. Earlier, European Commission President Manual Barroso said it was up to the EU leaders to show how the impasse that the Irish "No" has created could be lifted. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...