The Twenty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2002

Polling for the referendum took place on Saturday 19 October 2002.

The Twenty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2002 proposes to insert after subsection 6 of section 4 of article 29

7° The State may ratify the Treaty of Nice amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related Acts signed at Nice on the 26th day of February 2001.

8° The State may exercise the options or discretions provided by or under articles 1.6, 1.9, 1.11, 1.12, 1.13 and 2.1 of the Treaty referred to in subsection 7° of this section but any such exercise shall be subject to the prior approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas.

9° The State shall not adopt a decision taken by the European Council to establish a common defence pursuant to Article 1.2 of the Treaty referred to in subsection 7° of this section where that common defence would include the State.

The total number of votes recorded in favour of the proposal was 906,317 and the total number of votes recorded against the proposal was 534,887. As the proposal was duly approved by the people, the Bill was signed by the President and promulgated as a law.