EU Constitution - Ratification

Referendum + parliamentary approval

Ireland will have a referendum on the European Constitution. According to the Irish Constitution, Article 46, the government is required to put any issue to a referendum if it will alter the Constitution.

The Irish Parliament’s EU Affairs Committee held its first detailed discussion on the Constitution on 9 February. The Minister of State for European Affairs, Mr Treacy recently said that the Government would not set a referendum date until after a proper public awareness campaign.

After the failure at the Intergovernmental Conference in June 2005 the procedure to hold to the referendum has been interrupted..

Ireland

: area ~ 70.000 sq km

Previous referenda on European issues

A referendum was held on 10.05.1972, on accession to the Union. 83% voted ‘yes’, with a turnout of more than 70%.

The Single European Act was put to a referendum on 26 May 1987. It was approved by 69.9% of votes cast, with a turnout of almost 44%.

The Maastricht Treaty was put to a referendum on 18 June 1992, on the basis of an amendment to the Constitution stating that the State could ratify the Maastricht Treaty on European Union and become a member of this Union. It was approved by 69% of votes cast, with a turnout of 57%.

The referendum on the Amsterdam Treaty on 22.05.1998 received a 61% ‘yes’ vote, with a turnout of 56%.

The Nice Treaty was put to two referenda. The referendum held on 7 June 2001 resulted in a ‘no’ vote of 53.8%, with a turnout of 34.7%. At a second referendum, held after a national debate, on 19 October 2002, Irish electors approved the treaty by 62.89% of votes cast, with a turnout of 48.45%.