Irish voters can be proud of their decision on the Nice Treaty, which has been passed emphatically in Saturday's referendum by 62.89 per cent to 37.11 per cent.
It is indeed a "win-win moment in European history", as the president of the European Parliament, Mr Pat Cox, put it yesterday. The result makes it possible to enlarge the European Union in a timely and agreed fashion over the next year, assuming the remaining negotiating obstacles are overcome.
For Ireland the campaign represents a real maturing of democratic debate on the future direction of the EU. The Yes side won the debate fairly and squarely; but the No campaigners deserve recognition for the passion and commitment with which they shaped its agenda following their victory on a much lower turnout last year. They raised valid questions which required to be addressed - and many of which are not resolved by this result.
Ireland emerges from this intensive experience better informed and more aware of pending developments in European integration. Our political leaders have learned the hard way not to take citizens for granted on these subjects. Their job as national representatives and negotiators is in fact made easier and more fulfilling by the deepening of democratic citizenship. They will need this resource as the Convention on the Future of Europe completes its work over the next eight months, looking at such central issues as a constitution for the EU and ambitious proposals to make its politics more effective and more democratically accountable. It is an exciting and deeply challenging task which will culminate in another treaty and, in Ireland and perhaps elsewhere, another referendum, probably in two years time.
To sustain the level of interest, awareness and knowledge stimulated by the two Nice Treaty referendums it will be essential that political and procedural changes introduced to facilitate them be sustained. They include the National Forum on Europe, which has valuably brought political parties and activists together; much better procedures for parliamentary scrutiny and oversight of EU business; and greater confidence among political leaders to open up and debate the issues at stake. The media have an important role in facilitating and communicating such involvement.
Ireland's political destiny is bound up with our European partners as our public affairs are directly affected by closer European involvement. This referendum result has decisively resolved the issue of whether this should be the case and helped to raise awareness of why it should be so. It is time now to devote continuing attention to precisely what European integration should do, and how it should do it, now that Ireland's decision on Nice has opened the way for Europe to unite democratically under the rule of law for the first time in its history.