By KUNA,
Dublin : Unofficial vote tallies Friday showed that Irish voters have rejected the European Union reform treaty, according to a government minister.
“We’re in uncharted waters,” Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern told Dublin radio.
In Irish polls, rally counters in each constituency watch votes being sorted and make their own count, giving early indications of how a vote is going.
Official verdicts from the first of Ireland’s 43 constituencies were expected soon, with a final result due by early evening.
A No vote would cause a major headache for the European Commission and for member states which have already ratified the controversial treaty, commentators said.
Ireland is the only EU country to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, though 18 of the 27 member states have already ratified it.
European leaders have said that they have no “plan B” for how to proceed if Irelands electorate does vote No.
“If the Irish people decide to reject the treaty of Lisbon, naturally, there will be no treaty of Lisbon,” French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said last night.
The treaty, which is designed to help the EU cope with its expansion into eastern Europe, provides for a streamlining of the European Commission, the removal of the national veto in more policy areas, a new president of the European Council and a strengthened foreign affairs post.
It replaces a more ambitious draft constitution that was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.
The main Irish political parties, including Prime Minister Brian Cowen’s leading government party Fianna Fail, have fought hard for a Yes vote, with Sinn Fein campaigning against the treaty.
Ahern said “Based on the unofficial early figures it’s not looking too good for the Yes side…. It’s still all unofficial but the indications are that the No side could win.” A spokesman for Ahern stressed that he was not conceding defeat at this stage as counting continued throughout the country.