Tiny turnout hits legitimacy of Irish euro poll

With polling stations open until 10pm yesterday and counting of ballots to start this morning, only about a fifth of the 3.1 million electorate appear to have had their say.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was among the first to cast his vote as to whether the country should ratify the agreement to impose stricter budget controls.

Turnout in Dublin reached about 20 per cent before teatime, with averages in the north west counties between 14 per cent and 20 per cent, and the Leinster region just below 20 per cent.

The earliest indication of the result is expected no sooner than mid-morning.

Turnout is crucial with low voter numbers in two previous European referendums giving the anti-treaty side a huge boost.

Ireland voted no in the last two euro polls at the first vote only to accept the EU reforms in a re-run the following years.

Both the Taoiseach and Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, a key figure in the anti-treaty camp last night both made final appeals for support.

Mr Kenny said a strong Yes would send a message that Ireland is on the road to the recovery and it would help continue the strong flow of investment into businesses seen over the last few months.

Mr Adams’s final message warned the treaty would not solve the eurozone crisis and urged voters “not to write austerity into the constitution”.

Ireland is the only country in Europe holding a referendum on the treaty as its constitution means major EU reforms have to be put before the public.

The treaty will come into effect with the support of 12 states, with or without Irish support, Only three states have ratified the treaty in full, however, while Germany, Poland, Latvia, Romania, Austria and Denmark have begun the process.

If passed, it will see stricter budgetary rules imposed on member states and penalties for those that fail to meet them.

The polling came as the head of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi said the crisis had exposed the inadequacy of the financial and economic framework set up for the euro in 1999. He warned it was not sustainable and a broad vision was needed to get the bloc through the financial crisis.