Voters resisted any temptation to use the referendum to punish the Government, following an intensive Yes campaign, writes Michael O'Regan, Parliamentary Reporter.
An intensive campaign by the Government and main Opposition parties helped to secure the convincing Yes vote.
Last time, just two constituencies - Dún Laoghaire and Dublin South - voted Yes. This time, the No vote was reversed in every other constituency as the Yes campaign swept all before it.
This was particularly evident in constituencies where Ministers, under firm instructions from the Taoiseach, helped to get the Yes vote out. Laois-Offaly, the constituency of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, Fianna Fáil's director of elections, and the PD Minister of State for Finance, Mr Tom Parlon, registered a swing of 17.05 per cent to the Yes side. Last time, the No side had shaded it in the constituency.
The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Ó Cuív, who voted No as a junior minister but Yes this time, helped to deliver a swing of 18.49 per cent in Galway.
A number of Government backbenchers were also active in key constituencies, temporarily submerging their disappointment with the Taoiseach for failing to promote them to ministerial office. Mr Ahern held one card close to his chest, delaying until next week lucrative Oireachtas committee appointments.
A Fianna Fáil backbencher said last night many of his colleagues had decided that the adoption of the Nice Treaty was good for Ireland and anger with Mr Ahern should be put aside until it was passed. "Real politics resumes next week," he added.
The influence of a strong campaign by Fine Gael and Labour was also felt in key constituencies. The intensive canvass by former Taoiseach, Dr Garret FitzGerald, was regarded as particularly influential.
Of the Dáil parties, Sinn Féin, the Green Party and a number of Independents carried the can for the No side. Despite having some strong performers in a number of constituencies, they failed to prevent the swing throughout the State to the Yes side. However, they may have helped to reduce somewhat the size of the Yes vote in some constituencies.
In Kerry North, for instance, the constituency of the prominent Sinn Féin TD, Mr Martin Ferris, the Yes side secured 55.58 per cent ahead of the No side's 44.42 per cent. Last time, the No vote was 60.57 per cent.
However, in neighbouring Kerry South, where all the local public representatives, including the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, were backing the Yes campaign, the treaty was more convincingly endorsed, by 60.50 per cent to 39.50 per cent. Last time, the No side won by 55.07 per cent.
Donegal, which now has a senior Minister and two junior Ministers, was a black spot for the Yes side the last time, with the No vote winning by a margin of over 20 per cent. But this was convincingly reversed on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Dublin, always a key battle ground, delivered a decisive Yes vote, with the Dún Laoghaire and Dublin South constituencies increasing the pro-treaty margins, and the rest decisively reversing last year's No vote.