Irish begin voting in second referendum on EU Lisbon Treaty

Irish begin voting in second referendum on EU Lisbon TreatyDublin  - Polling stations across Ireland opened Friday, with a 3 million-strong electorate able to vote - for a second time - on the European Union's Lisbon treaty.

Polling began at 7 am (0600 GMT) in 43 constituencies and was to continue until 10 pm (2100 GMT).

The Lisbon Treaty was rejected by the Irish electorate in a first referendum in June 2008, with the "No" side winning 53.4 per cent of the vote.

All the major Irish political parties have been campaigning for a "Yes" vote, with nationalist Sinn Fein the only parliamentary party to oppose the treaty.

Although the final polls indicate this time the "Yes" side have a comfortable lead - with around 55 per cent support - there were concerns at the close of the campaign that the "No" side was gaining ground among the 18 per cent undecided voters.

This trend was "directed at the government," said the Labour Party's European Affairs spokesman Joe Costello.

"We want to get the message out quite clearly that this is not a vote against the government," he stressed.

At the final governing Fianna Fail news conference of the campaign, Ireland's Prime Minister Brian Cowen said he understood that many people were "worried and feeling the impact of the economic crisis," but he said the future was in their hands.

Cowen, whose approval ratings are at just 24 per cent, mainly as a result of the parlous state of the Irish economy, said that by voting for the treaty, people would be helping Ireland achieve economic recovery.

Opposition Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the momentum was with the pro-treaty side.

This time, farming leaders, business leaders, public sector leaders and bishops have all supported a "Yes" vote.

The role of the bishops is significant as some opposition to the treaty the first time around was based on Catholic fears that acceptance would ultimately lead to the abolition of Ireland's legal ban on abortions.

But anti-treaty campaigner and Libertas leader Declan Ganley, who spearheaded the successful anti-Lisbon campaign in June 2008, said Ireland had nothing to lose and everything to gain by voting against the referendum.

The millionaire businessman said the EU reform package had not changed at all since the Irish people rejected it last year.

The Czech Republic and Poland are the other two countries that have not yet ratified the pact - which under EU rules must be unanimously approved by all members for it to come into force.

Ireland is the only one of 27 EU member states to hold a public referendum on the treaty.

Vote counting begins Saturday at 9 am with official results expected to be announced by late afternoon. (dpa)