The treaty was ratified by over 60 percent of the vote, despite the unpopularity of austerity measures. (Courtesy Creative Commons/ Informatique)

Sixty percent of the electorate approved the treaty despite anger over existing austerity measures, while just under 40 percent of voters opposed the treaty. Just over half of 3.3 million registered voters turned out for Thursday's election.

Prime Minister Enda Kenny praised the outcome of the vote. 

“The decision was not an easy one," Kenny said. "I commend deeply and thank the Irish people for their pragmatism.”

The European Union treaty is intended to obligate all 27 members to meet tighter budgetary controls in an effort to fix the sovereign-debt crisis that has Europe scrambling to save its common currency.

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso welcomed the outcome, calling the treaty “a key component of the E.U.’s response to the current economic crisis.”

Read the entire story at the Guardian. 

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