Ireland vote 'YES' on Lisbon Treaty Referendum.

vaporate

Thoughts and opinions?

Cleaver

Didn't they vote 'no' a few months ago? That makes it 1-1, so I guess you need some sort of away goals rule or a final playoff.

treliac

Cleaver wrote: »

Didn't they vote 'no' a few months ago? That makes it 1-1, so I guess you need some sort of away goals rule or a final playoff.

Saturday night drinking session again Cleaver? :rotfl:

vaporate

I do like this picture though haha. Thanks for the poster.

Cleaver

Bored out of my mind tonight Trels. We've recently had our kitchen celing replaced but it needed the edges filling and it all needed painting, along with a few other jobs. So I had quite a pleasurable day doing DIY in the kitchen whilst listening to Radio 4. Any Questions, Any Answers, a documentary about some American children's writer, Moneybox. All good stuff. I'm old beyong my years.

But I'm in one of those moods tonight where I'm really tired from a busy week and today's activities, but kinda want to do something. But have ended up loafing on the couch in a bit of a grump. Although Match of the Day is just starting, which is nice.

You been up to much this weekend?

Full apologies for those looking for information about the treaty in Ireland. I have no f**king clue what it's about.

vaporate

Cleaver wrote: »

Bored out of my mind tonight Trels. We've recently had our kitchen celing replaced but it needed the edges filling and it all needed painting, along with a few other jobs. So I had quite a pleasurable day doing DIY in the kitchen whilst listening to Radio 4. Any Questions, Any Answers, a documentary about some American children's writer, Moneybox. All good stuff. I'm old beyong my years.

But I'm in one of those moods tonight where I'm really tired from a busy week and today's activities, but kinda want to do something. But have ended up loafing on the couch in a bit of a grump. Although Match of the Day is just starting, which is nice.

You been up to much this weekend?

Full apologies for those looking for information about the treaty in Ireland. I have no f**king clue what it's about.

:rotfl:No problem.

Treadmill

Is it to late to climb aboard the Celtic tiger ?

Thrugelmir

If my country was now bankrupt. I would take the EEC's money without qualms.

Friends in Ireland say times are genuinely tough. They only moved back from the UK around 4 years ago. Taxes have risen a lot and so disposable income has been hit hard.

Cleaver

Thrugelmir wrote: »

If my country was now bankrupt. I would take the EEC's money without qualms.

That sums up my limited knowledge on the situation. I would have voted 'yes' for that exact reason.

Treadmill

The boom in Ireland was funded by a net transfer of wealth from the EU, I think they forgot that for a while. Its become clear again now though

vaporate

Ireland backs EU's Lisbon Treaty


Results showed a clear swing to the "Yes" camp


Irish voters have strongly endorsed the European Union's Lisbon Treaty - 16 months after their first vote rejecting it plunged EU reforms into deadlock. About 67% voted "Yes", official results from the latest referendum showed. Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen hailed a "clear and resounding" endorsement.
The EU Commission called it a "vote of confidence" in the EU. Nearly all member states have ratified Lisbon.
The treaty is aimed at streamlining decision-making in the 27-nation bloc.


The Czech president today sent a message that in a sense was telling the Tories not to depend on a Czech delay


Gavin Hewitt
BBC Europe Editor



Read more in Hewitt on Europe

According to final results, 67.1% of Irish voters approved it, while 32.9% voted "No". Turnout in the three-million electorate was 58%.
The treaty cannot take effect until all member states ratify it. The only other countries yet to ratify Lisbon are the Czech Republic and Poland.
The parliaments of both countries have approved the treaty. Polish President Lech Kaczynski is expected to sign it in the coming days.
But the Czech Republic's Eurosceptic President, Vaclav Klaus, said he would not sign the treaty until his country's Constitutional Court had pronounced on its validity.

LISBON TREATY
Creates new post of EU president (President of European Council)
New post of High Representative for Foreign Affairs
More decisions by majority vote, rather than unanimity
Ratified by all member states except Czech Republic, Ireland and Poland
Only Ireland held a referendum on it
Took a decade of negotiations
Was intended to take effect in January 2009



Send us your comments
What now after Irish 'Yes'?
In quotes: Reactions to vote

Speaking after the Irish result, he told the BBC it was "too late" now for the British people to do something about the treaty.
Ireland was the only EU member state to hold a referendum on Lisbon, though there have been calls for referendums in several countries.
"The Irish people have spoken with a clear and resounding voice," Mr Cowen said in a brief statement to reporters. "It is a good day for Ireland and a good day for Europe."
"The Irish people showed an Ireland embracing her future with Europe," he said.
The Irish anti-Lisbon group Coir said on Saturday: "We are extremely disappointed that the voice of the people was not heard the first time around."
EU hails 'victory'
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, called the vote "an important victory for Ireland and for all of Europe".
He said it was just a matter of time until the EU "finally can push the button for the better European co-operation that the Lisbon Treaty will give us".

Brian Cowen: "The Irish have supported reforms so the EU can become more efficient and more effective"

The European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, praised the Irish "vote of confidence" in the EU, which he said showed a "desire to be a wholehearted member".
Irish opinion is thought to have swung behind the "Yes" vote this time because of the severity of the economic downturn, as well as the legal "guarantees" on Irish sovereignty that the EU pledged after the first referendum.
The legally binding "guarantees" state that Lisbon will not affect key areas of Irish sovereignty, such as taxation, military neutrality and family matters such as abortion - significant issues in last year's campaign in Ireland. But they have not yet been attached to the treaty.
The treaty is intended to make EU institutions better suited to the enlarged bloc of 27.


Declan Ganley: "Politically a masterful campaign"

Opponents see Lisbon as part of a federalist agenda that threatens national sovereignty.
In last year's vote, 46.6% of Irish voted "Yes" and 53.4% "No", and the rejection of the treaty plunged the EU into political gridlock.
All of the republic's major parties campaigned for a "Yes" vote except the nationalist Sinn Fein. The party believes rejecting the treaty would mean a more democratic EU.