Ireland looks set to back EU treaty

Jun 1 2012

Ireland is on course to back the European fiscal treaty with a vote of around 60% after the first official results from constituencies were announced.

With official confirmation of the final figure expected later, the coalition Government was toasting success while key players in the No camp have conceded defeat.

Tipperary South was first to return results, for the second time in a row, and reported 61% of voters in favour while Galway East followed soon after with a strong 63% backing.

After five constituencies reported, the turnout was 50% of the 3.1 million eligible to vote.

Other constituencies to have reported results include Limerick City 61% in favour; Tipperary North 66%; Waterford 58%; and Kildare North 65%.

Ireland will now be the fourth country in the European Union to ratify strict new rules to rein in budget spending and set the groundwork for future bailout mechanisms in the eurozone.

Polls in the run-up to the referendum had predicted safe passage for the pact with a 60-40 majority.

The first constituencies to go against the treaty were Donegal South West with a No vote of 55% and Dublin South-West with 51%. The neighbouring area of Dublin Mid-West narrowly accepted the treaty with a vote of just 50.01%. Elsewhere, Donegal North-East followed the pattern of the Lisbon treaty referendum in 2009 and rejected the latest European pact.

Officials verifying the figures from the 43 constituencies confirmed that there were only five votes between the Yes and No camps in the region, with 33,175 valid votes out of an electorate of 64,445.

Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore said the country now needs a deal on its bank debt: "I want to welcome what appears now to be clearly the result of this referendum that the people of Ireland have voted in favour of the stability treaty. I think this decision taken by the Irish people is a necessary step on the road to recovery but we now have to build on it. This was not just an exercise where those of us asking people to vote Yes - it was also an occasion where we listened to what people were saying."