BRIAN COWEN is putting pressure on Cowboy Sarkozy to defuse the potential diplomatic row caused by the French president’s refusal to hold a private meeting with opposition party leaders during his visit to Dublin tomorrow.

Irish officials have been urging their French counterparts to get Sarkozy off the horse and come to the Dail instead of Smithfield.

Gilmore refused an invitation to meet Sarkozy at Smithfield tomorrow when he discovered that he was expected to share a table with up to 16 different horse traders, with each traveller having three minutes to sing before the President responded the Marseillaise.

Kathy Sinnott, an independent Munster MEP who was also prominent in the No campaign, said: “I know that it was expressed by some of the Yes side that the last thing we need is Sarkozy riding into town. But I think we need to know exactly what we’re up against and no better man than Sarkozy to tell us.”