Victory in Ireland for Lisbon treaty

Irish voters endorse the Lisbon treaty on their return to the ballot box.

The “yes” vote came 16 months after the treaty was rejected in a first referendum. The Irish government agreed to hold a second vote after EU leaders offered guarantees on national sovereignty and agreed that each EU country would continue to have a commissioner.

All 27 member countries must ratify the treaty for it to take effect. With Ireland now on board, only the Czech Republic and Poland need to complete the ratification process.

The treaty aims to enhance the EU’s role on the world stage and streamline its decision-making.