Irish Voters Set to Approve Lisbon Treaty

In June last year, 53 per cent of those who voted in the first referendum on Irish ratification of the Lisbon Treaty rejected its adoption largely, as Sky News reports, because there were concerns over Ireland's neutrality and its sovereignty over issues such as abortion. But now, as the Irish Times confirms, those approving ratification of a treaty designed to streamline the decision-making process within the European Union, which has 27 member states, are expected to constitute 66.8 per cent of the voters who turned out. That turnout has been estimated at 58.8 per cent. Concerned at the effects of the global economic crisis, and unencumbered by worries over Ireland retaining sovereignty over key issues, although the BBC notes that the legal "guarantees" given to the country regarding sovereignty have not yet been attached to the Treaty, voters have apparently been persuaded of the benefits of greater integration with the European Union. As figures such as European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, European Parliament President, Jerzy Buzek, and Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, Sweden currently holds the EU Presidency, variously hailed the "Yes" vote as a "vote of confidence" , "an important victory" and "good news for Europe" Mr Cowen declared:

We will now work with all our partners in ensuring the reforms this treaty will bring are implemented. The Irish people have supported reforms so that the EU can become efficient and more effective in dealing with the global concerns we all face

Despite pressure in several EU countries for a referendum on the Treaty, Ireland is the only country to offer its electorate a say in the matter, the other countries seemingly having ratified through parliamentary votes. And if a majority of the Irish voters had again said "No" to the Treaty its very existence may have been called into question. As indeed may have been the coalition government in Ireland, which is led by Mr Cowen and his Fianna Fáil party. Poland and the Czech Republic are the only two countries left to ratify the Treaty, assuming the earlier indications in Ireland are correct, but the BBC says that the countries' parliaments have given their approval to a treaty which cannot take effect until all member states agree that it should. Libertas and Coir were two groups who campaigned for a "No" vote with Declan Ganley, leader of the former group, acknowledging that the "Yes" campaign had enjoyed a "very convincing win". For Coir, an Irish name which translates in to English as Justice, a spokesperson, referring to the 2008 referendum, said:

We are extremely disappointed that the voice of the people was not heard the first time around

Sinn Fein was the only major political party in Ireland to campaign for a "No" vote and its Vice-President Mary Lou McDonald asserted that the result of the referendum was not an expression of support for the parties in government and she observed that "People still want change". Sky News wonders how the result of the vote in Ireland may impact on David Cameron, leader of the British Conservative Party, who has promised to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty if, as looks likely, he wins the next General Election. The British Conservatives are presently angry at suggestions that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, ex-leader of New Labour, could be appointed EU President, which would be an entirely new position, when or if the Treaty is ratified by all members of the European Union.