Fate of EU Treaty rests on Ireland
Pastor Dale Morgan
Fate of EU Treaty rests on Ireland*
By Tom Peterkin, in Dublin
Last Updated: 1:40AM BST 13/06/2008
Campaigners against the EU Treaty will today find out if their efforts
to derail the pact have succeeded when the votes cast in Ireland's
referendum are finally counted.
The fate of Europe lay in the hands of the Irish electorate after they
were given the opportunity of a vote denied to the British people.
The outcome of the referendum, which will see Ireland's 2.8 million
registered voters determine the future of the EU's 495 million citizens,
was still too close to call when the polls closed on Thursday night.
A low turnout threatened to see the major European Union (EU) reform
defeated. While the Yes campaign took comfort in the fact voting levels
increased from the earlier low of 20 per cent, initial indications
estimated a turnout of 40 per cent.
Academics who have studied earlier Irish polls predicted a 45 per cent
turnout was the minimum required to deliver a Yes vote, but while in
Dublin there were signs of levels reaching the 40-45 per cent, outside
the capital, estimates were often lower.
A vigorous "no" campaign led by Declan Ganley, the multimillionaire
leader of the Libertas group and a son of Irish emigrants, had seen the
rival camps draw level in opinion polls.
Ireland's main political parties urged their supporters to back the
treaty and the formidable political machine of the ruling Fianna Fail
party rallied supporters.
The contest even saw a Papal intervention, with Pope Benedict XVI
appearing to encourage Catholic Ireland to vote yes.
In St Peter's Square, the Pontiff paid tribute to St Columbanus, a monk
from Co Meath who led a mission into Europe in AD500.
"With his spiritual strength, with his faith, with his love of God and
neighbour, he became one of the Fathers of Europe, showing us today the
way to those roots from which our continent may be reborn," the Pope said.
A no vote could delay or doom the painstakingly negotiated pact, which
must be ratified by all 27 states.
Implementation would see the number of EU commissioners reduced from 27
to 18 and require foreign, defence and security decisions to be taken
unanimously.