LIBERTAS LEADER Dec­lan Ganley heaped praise on Taoiseach Brian Cowen yesterday stating that it was a "masterful campaign by a masterful politician".

Conceding defeat shortly after 11am at the RDS count centre, Ganley congratulated Cowen on running a "superb campaign" and making "vassals of the opposition".

"Brian Cowen played an absolute political blinder in turning over the democratic result, in convincing people that they faced economic ruin if they voted No," said Ganley.

He said that Fianna Fáil's performance in the recent campaign was an example of how the party has been the most dominant party since the foundation of the state.

Government sources expressed surprise at Ganley's praise of the Taoiseach.

However, Ganley said he was "not going to be gracious" about the "dishonest campaign" run by the Yes side. "I promise you this. I am going to hold a press conference here on 3 October next year and although all the 'Yes for Jobs' posters are disappearing faster than you would believe, I am going to have a sample of each of those posters here on 3 October next year and I will have a press conference to either acclaim the claims of the Yes side for all the jobs that have been created or to see if perhaps, just like they did, we need to have another vote."

He said he made his late entrance to the campaign because: "I love my country."

Berating the government decision to hold a second referendum, Ganley said: "This is democracy Brussels-style. You keep voting until they get the result they want… I am not surprised at how big the Yes vote is. It just shows how scared people are."