Irish vote could stall EU enlargement

Ahern: Has stressed EU's economic benefits

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNN) -- Voters in the Republic of Ireland have gone to the polls in a referendum that could slow the enlargement of the European Union.

The ballot -- one of three on Thursday in Ireland -- seeks approval for the Treaty of Nice, which paves the way for enlargement of the community with the entry of twelve mainly eastern European states.

Ireland is the only country to hold a referendum on the matter, and failure to accept the treaty would stall its implementation throughout the EU.

Polling stations opened with both the "Yes" and "No" camps each predicting a narrow victory and voter turnout likely to hold the key to the result.

Both of the Dublin coalition government partners and all the main opposition parties plus as trade unions and the Roman Catholic church have all backed the "Yes" campaign.

Government ministers have been predicting a narrow majority in favour of a "Yes" vote. But the "No to Nice" campaign have predicted a win for the "No" vote.

VIDEO CNNfn's Jim Boulden has more on what the Nice treaty means to Ireland and Europe (June 7) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     AUDIO Daniel Keohane of the Centre for European Reform: Vote is expected to be close 342kb/31sec. AIFF or WAV sound Fears about EU policy 257kb/23 sec. AIFF or WAV sound    IN-DEPTH   •  Embarking on expansion   •  EU enlargement map   •  History of EU growth   •  Nice: Europe's next steps   •  What kind of Europe?   •  Key leaders' views    CNN.com Europe More news from our Europe edition

Official concern is that voter apathy might prompt a low turn-out of "Yes" voters and lead to the treaty being lost.

Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and other senior politicians urging a "Yes" vote have stressed the economic benefits the EU have brought to the "Celtic tiger" and said it would be unfair to deny similar benefits to the new eastern and central European applicants.

Opponents, who include Sinn Fein and the Green Party, have said the treaty is a threat to Ireland's much-valued tradition of military neutrality and the country's continued representation on the European Commission.

They hope rejection will bring a renegotiation of treaty provisions or an opt-out for Ireland.

Either way EU enlargement would be bound to be slowed and the Dublin government left with egg on its face.

Ratification by the other 14 states is seen as a foregone conclusion.

The Irish PM and foreign minister go to Gothenburg, Sweden next week for an EU summit either as bearers of glad tidings or embarrassed catalysts to a period of intense political discussion.

Then Irish are also voting on two other constitutional issues -- one finally and formally abolishing all references to the death penalty, albeit 50 years after the last Irish hanging, and the other on backing for the International Criminal Court.

Both are expected to be passed comfortably.

Polling is from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The total electorate is 2,867,960.

Counting of votes begins Friday morning; the Nice result should become by late afternoon with the outcome of the other two polls known later in the evening.