Ireland votes for Christmas

[-:Undertaker:-]

Ireland votes Yes to less sovereignty

Shortly after the ballot boxes were opened at 9 am, the Irish Times was reporting that the early indications were for a "yes".

Initially, there was a lot of guessing. Unusually there had been no exit poll from state broadcaster RTE. "Severe budget cuts" apparently meant there was no money in the kitty. That was rather appropriate: we've had this referendum thingy, but we can't afford to tell you what the result is. Saves having to have another vote if they get the answer wrong, I suppose.

Well before midday though - before the first official result had come in, Socialist MEP Paul Murphy was already conceding defeat. "For this referendum, it looks like the game is over", he said. According to Murphy, "It's looking like there's been strong class polarisation where working class areas have been voting 'no' and the more affluent areas have voted 'yes' in high numbers".

While the first result was being awaited, election expert Sean Donnolly ventured that at least six constituencies were voting "no" - all working class areas. These were: Cork North Central, Donegal North East and South West, and three Dublin constituencies.

The biggest "yes" votes were likely to be Dún Laoghaire and Dublin South East where tallies were showing a 72/28 split in favour of the fiscal pact. Senator Darragh O'Brien, the leader of Fianna Fail, acknowledged that the "yes" was a "grudging, pragmatic vote".

Libertas founder Declan Ganley, chipped in, claiming that part of the "yes" vote "had been through gritted teeth". There was, he said, "a feeling of powerlessness on the streets". And still there had been no official results.

As time dragged on, the Irish Times published another photograph from the count. Appropriately, the tellers' slips were colour-coded - green for "yes", red(ish) for "no". Some might think that was another establishment attempt at propaganda.

At 12:39 the Tipperary South result delivered a "yes" of 60.7 and a "no" of 39.3 percent. Then at 12:42, the Galway East result came: "yes" 63.25 percent, "no" 36.75 percent. At 12:46, the Waterford result arrived: "yes" 57.66; "no" 42.34 percent. By one o'clock, with eight results in, the split broke down at 58.8 "yes" and 41.2 percent against. Turnout was expected to be about 50 percent.

Just short of two pm, with 746,052 votes counted from 22 of the 43 constituencies, the vote stood at 59.8 percent "yes" and 40.2 percent "no". During the Lisbon re-run count, with 23 results in, the "yes" vote stood at 67.8 percent – as against 32.2 percent for "no". Turnout was 59.6 percent – higher than 2008.

This time round, Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald said it was clear throughout the campaign that the Labour party had been on the wrong side of the argument when its traditional supporters were considered.

Top "yes" vote in the country was Dún Laoghaire with 74.2 percent in favour and 25.7 percent against. Dublin South East was a close second with 72.3 to 27.7 percent.

It took until three in the afternoon to bring in 41 of the 43, settling on 60.2 percent "yes" as against 39.8 percent "no". Calling it 60-40, it was going to change much with the two final results. The national result in the second Lisbon vote was 67.1 percent for the "yes" campaign and 32.9 percent for the "noes".

The final result was declared at 3:30 - 60.3 percent in favour, 39.7 percent against. Not as strong a result this time, but they didn't need a re-run. On a turnout of just over 50 percent - making just over thirty percent of the electorate - it was a done deal. Ireland had made her choice. She held on to nurse. No one really expected any different.

Well, it looks like a Turkey will vote for Christmas, even hopping onto the plate.

Perhaps they thought if they voted no they'd be made to vote again, or that if they voted no it would lead to an end of their Euro membership which is going to have to happen anyway. Or maybe after a few decades they've grown tired of independence, and now see fit to transfer what little remainin monetary and fiscal powers they have over to the European Union/ECB.

But whatever the reasons, it make no difference - the Euro is doomed for a currency cannot survive without fiscal and political union.

Thoughts?

[wixard]

a yes vote only gives europe the power to stop us overspending, hardly a massive loss of sovereignty. we still decide what to spend our money on only now europe can stop us spending so much of it.

anyway i didn't vote, and if i did go to the voting station i would have just spoilt it.
it was always going to be yes.

[dbgtz]

a yes vote only gives europe the power to stop us overspending, hardly a massive loss of sovereignty. we still decide what to spend our money on only now europe can stop us spending so much of it.

Wait, could your government just not do that themselves... Seriously how incompetent are they

[wixard]

Wait, could your government just not do that themselves... Seriously how incompetent are they

our government are terrible everyone knows that!!

[GommeInc]

Meh, Ireland were being blackmailed into having to vote yes otherwise they would only be in deep do-do after 2013 when their money inevitably dries out and they have to have another bail out. It's one huge, predictable, expensive line of bailout > another bailout > bailout again... It's the story of the Eurozone, be in debt, then bailed out, then live off them until other countries get dragged into the pit.

Ah well, when Ireland goes bankrupt perhaps the UK can buy the country for next to nothing and we can replace the blue in our flag with green when Scotland leaves. Waste not want not, afterall

[jasey]

I think it's a wonderful choice. Very good move on Ireland's part in my opinion. Cheers to critical thinking, Eire!

[wixard]

Meh, Ireland were being blackmailed into having to vote yes otherwise they would only be in deep do-do after 2013 when their money inevitably dries out and they have to have another bail out. It's one huge, predictable, expensive line of bailout > another bailout > bailout again... It's the story of the Eurozone, be in debt, then bailed out, then live off them until other countries get dragged into the pit.

Ah well, when Ireland goes bankrupt perhaps the UK can buy the country for next to nothing and we can replace the blue in our flag with green when Scotland leaves. Waste not want not, afterall

this is very rude ;llllll

[FlyingJesus]

RULE BRITANNIA

[dbgtz]

this is very rude ;llllll

Rude, but true.

RULE BRITANNIA

That looks disgusting.

[-:Undertaker:-]

a yes vote only gives europe the power to stop us overspending, hardly a massive loss of sovereignty. we still decide what to spend our money on only now europe can stop us spending so much of it.

anyway i didn't vote, and if i did go to the voting station i would have just spoilt it.
it was always going to be yes.

That is the definition of sovereignty.

As for trusting the European Union with managing your accounts, this is the organisation which a) created the Euro currency in the first place which & b) hasn't had its financial accounts signed off in 17 years.

I'd have more faith in Enron if i'm perfectly honest.

I think it's a wonderful choice. Very good move on Ireland's part in my opinion. Cheers to critical thinking, Eire!

Ah yes, well it'll be your turn soon in France - but by then all bets are off as there will be no money to bail you lot out. The end is nigh for the Euro, the only question is - when are people such as yourself going to come to your senses? Because voting for more of the same is beyond critical thinking, it is lunacy.