- Title: IRISH REPUBLIC: PRIME MINISTER AHERN VOTES IN SECOND REFERENDUM ON NICE TREATY.
- Date: 19th October 2002
- Summary: (W5) DUBLIN, IRISH REPUBLIC (OCTOBER 18, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV/GV: PANORAMIC VIEW OF DUBLIN; BRIDGE OVER RIVER LIFFEY; PEOPLE WALKING ACROSS BRIDGE (3 SHOTS) 0.27 (W5) DUBLIN, IRISH REPUBLIC (OCTOBER 19, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2. GV/MV/PAN: WOMAN PARKING HER BICYCLE OUTSIDE POLLING STATION IN SCHOOL IN DUBLIN NORTHEAST CONSTITUENCY; ELDERLY WOMAN WALKING THROUGH GATE OUTSIDE POLLING STATION; BLIND MAN BEING HELPED INTO POLLING STATION (3 SHOTS) 0.45 3. TV/MV: INTERIOR OF POLLING STATION - PEOPLE COLLECTING THEIR BALLOTS AND MARKING THEM; VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PLACING BALLOTS IN BALLOT BOX (4 SHOTS) 1.02 4. MV: IRISH PRIME MINISTER BERTIE AHERN MARKING BALLOT IN POLLING BOOTH; AHERN TURNING AND WALKING OVER AND PREPARING TO PLACE BALLOT IN BALLOT BOX (2 SHOTS) 1.38 5. MV: SOUNDBITE (English) AHERN EMERGING FROM SCHOOL WHERE THE POLLING STATION IS AND RESPONDING TO QUESTION OF HOW HE VOTED, SAYING: "Yes. It was the right thing to do." 1.48 6. MCU: SOUNDBITE (English) AHERN WALKING ALONG SURROUNDED BY REPORTERS, AND ASKED HOW HE VOTED AGAIN, SAYING: "Yes, because I believe the Nice Treaty is a good treaty for Ireland and Europe and the applicant countries." 1.58 7. MV/GV: MORE OF INTERIOR OF POLLING STATION AND PEOPLE VOTING (3 SHOTS) 2.17 8. MCU: SOUNDBITE (English) VOX POP, MAN OUTSIDE OF POLLING STATION SAYING: "We in Ireland have benefited from Europe. We in Ireland were relatively poor but we have benefited greatly from it and I think we should supporter other eastern European countries joining Europe. 2.31 9. MCU: SOUNDBITE (English) VOX POP, WOMAN OUTSIDE POLLING STATION, ASKED HOW SHE VOTED, SAYING: "I voted 'yes'." REPORTER ASKS WHY? "I think it is the future, I think it is important." 2.40 10. MCU: SOUNDBITE (English) VOX POP, WOMAN OUTSIDE POLLING STATION ASKED HOW SHE VOTED, SAYING: "No. No." (REPORTERS ASKS WHY?) "I think we'll be swallowed up. All those bigger countries will have a bigger say. As well, I don't fully understand the issues. I read it, I was confused. I consulted my two sons and other people, and my gut feeling says 'no'." 3.05 11. GV/PAN/MCU: MORE VIEWS OF PEOPLE VOTING; CU BALLOT BOX (3 SHOTS) 3.32 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 3rd November 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: DUBLIN, IRISH REPUBLIC
- Country: Ireland
- Reuters ID: LVA9JY4GDCJTIBU1VV2I3L0FJQQQ
- Story Text: Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern has voted in the
referendum on the Nice Treaty which holds the key to EU
enlargement.
Turnout appeared to be brisk on Saturday (October 19)
for the referendum on the Nice Treaty.
At a polling station inside a school in Dublin northeast,
voters, many of them elderly, marked their ballots and placed
them in the ballot box.
Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern was one of those who
voted at the polling station.
Asked how he voted as he emerged, Ahern said: "Yes, because
it is the right thing to do."
It is the second time Irish citizens are voting in the
referendum on the Nice Treaty after rejecting it the first
time in June, 2001.
The government, embarrassed at last year's rejection, has
worked hard this time round to inform people about the treaty,
if ratified, would allow for 10 more mostly eastern European
countries to join the EU by 2004.
But those who emerged from the polling station were mixed
in their views on the referendum.
One man said he thought it was important that the treaty
be ratified because he said Ireland had benefited greatly from
joining the European Union and that he thought the poorer
eastern nations also deserved a chance.
One woman said she had voted 'yes' in the referendum,
because she thought it was important for the future of Europe.
But another woman said she'd voted 'no' because she was
afraid Ireland would be 'swallowed up' by the bigger member
countries.
"As well, I don't fully understand it," she said. "I read
it, I was confused. I consulted my two sons and other people
and my gut feeling say's '."
The polls will remain open until 9 p.m. on Saturday. Early
results for seven constituencies which voted electronically
are expected by about 0100gmt Sunday (October 20). Final
results are expected later on Sunday afternoon.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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