any irish about?how did you vote on the lisbon treaty?

[theBOD]

i'm just about to wander down to my polling booth to register my no vote and was wondering how others have/plan to vote

So just curious, why are you voting no?

I bet a lot of eyes areound Europe are on you to stop this constitution, as you are the only country with the power to do so.

my main problem with it is the fact that it is essentially the constitution just renamed a "treaty" to keep the citizens of europe from voting on it.
the fact that so many governments could enact a bridging document which will evolve with no say from it's people frankly disgusts me and seems very underhanded.
add to that the procrastination of the committees/meetings on the issues of a european military and taxation to occur after this referendum so the people voting do not know what is planned.
essentially my main reason for voting no is the sheer arrogance from all politicians concerned with the yes vote. basically telling us plebs not to worry about the document being frankly unreadable they will do all our worrying and thinking for us we just have to fall into line. or else (according to the french politicians) we are in trouble.

I agree with you. But, I'm American so there will be no voting on it for me. What is the talk on the street? Do you think the yeses or the nos will win? Or... maybe they'll just keep voting until they get the result they want.

I voted yes earlier today.

BTW - I read all literature and understand it and was not "told" by any politician how I should vote. I have my own mind and am certainly not a "pleb".

Athene, the EU has a track record of keeping people voting until they vote the way the politicians want. See Denmark.

If I were in Ireland, I'd vote 'No' for all the reasons Bod gives. The EU is bloated, unaccountable and a disgrace to democracy. The auditors have refused to sign off the accounts for year after year after year because it is so corrupt. The MEPs are stuffing our money into their back pockets on so-called expenses while filling our lives with nonsensical, pointless regulations. And the ones that do have a point are stupid - biofuels, for instance.

Aaargh it has to be No.

The polls this week showed that it was likely to be No. Turnout looking shabby already, in some rural areas only 10 or 12 per cent! That was by lunchtime, though, perhaps will improve this pm, esp as weather has picked up.

Clementine1 - re. literature yes I read it all too, and gave classes on it this week as well (sort of adult ed), but the standard of what was available was shocking, I thought. Poorly and foggily written, reflecting I suppose the understanding of those who produced it. Even reading it all (all the interpretive stuff I mean) you dont necessarily end up properly informed. I think that's been one of the big problems in the lead-up to today, and will be one of the reasons for a crummy turnout.

oh I think I was properly informed.

I'm sure you were. You had already pointed that out.

I was making a general point about the standard of the literature that was made available, not remarking on your understanding of the Treaty.

The standard of literature available was pathetic.

"BTW - I read all literature and understand it and was not "told" by any politician how I should vote. I have my own mind and am certainly not a "pleb".
"

and i was not trying to insinuate that those who'd vote yes were,so i apologise if i came across that way.that is just how i felt having seen/heard a lot of debates and argu,ments for the pro-side. there are of course many valid reasons to vote yes and i respect everyones right to chose.
i did not mean to imply that my opinion was the right one

"BTW - I read all literature and understand it and was not "told" by any politician how I should vote. I have my own mind and am certainly not a "pleb".
"

and i was not trying to insinuate that those who'd vote yes were,so i apologise if i came across that way.that is just how i felt having seen/heard a lot of debates and argu,ments for the pro-side. there are of course many valid reasons to vote yes and i respect everyones right to chose.
i did not mean to imply that my opinion was the right one

No vote here. Would regard myself as pro EU but I just couldn't convince myself to vote for the Lisbon Treaty.Had reservations about the future status of small states. Felt better to vote no and hopefully have it sent back to the drawing board.

tap tap tap....

Anxiously awaiting the result.

Looks like a No vote.

Yep, it's on the BBC.

Now... do you think they'll vote again?

Yes

Before they can even think about putting it to the vote again there will be a lot of work to do. I think one of the problems was that the No voters had so many disparate reasons for voting no, and it's going to be hard to identify them all in the first place, let alone modify the Treaty into a form that will be acceptable. I think another problem was that a lot of No voters were not voting No because of any real issue with the EU or the Treaty, but because of a general bad mood in the country, a lot of anti-politician feeling and a sense of looking for people to blame (for everything from dropping Euro to the shame of the Eurovision) and punish.

Anyway now is the time for Brian Cowen to pull off the silken cloth covering Plan B.

Yes, if we win the Eurovision next year, then we will vote yes

Do you know what I mean, though?

I know one person who was voting No because Sinn Fein had been against the whole taxi deregulation thing. And someone else told me they were voting no because it was an opportunity to get back at Fianna Fail for having had Bertie as a leader. Just completely unconnected to the actual issues.

No19, i do know what you mean. I don't like that sort of prtest voting but a lot of people seem to have done that this year, like the Kilmore Quay fishermen etc.