Dublin - Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen welcomed Saturday the "resounding Yes" given by the Irish people to the Lisbon Treaty - as partial results showed a 67-per-cent vote in favour of the treaty. "Today Irish people have spoken with a clear and resounding voice," he said on the steps of government buildings.
"This is a good day for Ireland and for Europe," he said.
"Ireland is embracing its future with Europe," he added, thanking the Irish people for deciding "to remain at the heart of Europe where Ireland's future belongs."
The official full result is not expected until around 6 pm (1700 GMT).
But it appeared certain the Lisbon Treaty would be passed, with official results from 22 out of the 43 constituencies showing a convincing "yes" vote.
The official - but partial - results were 67.1 per cent "Yes" and 32.9 per cent "No" by 2.30 pm (1330 GMT).
Minister for Health Mary Harney described the result as "remarkable."
Minister for European Affairs Dick Roche was confidently predicting that the referendum would be carried by close to "two-to-one."
International reaction from across a clearly-relieved EU also started pouring in, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulating the Irish voters on their choice.
Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore who campaigned for a "Yes" vote also welcomed the decision, saying it was "sensible."
The only constituency to reject the treaty so far has been Donegal South West where 50.27 per cent voted "No."
A protest "No" vote was expected in the area as a result of fishing industry troubles.
Irish Farmer's Assocation President Padraig Walshe welcomed the "Yes" vote and thanked farmers for turning out in large numbers to contribute to the result.
Joe Higgins, Socialist Party Member of the European Parliament, who campaigned for a "No" vote said he accepted that the Irish people had voted for the Lisbon Treaty.
The head of the first anti-treaty campaign, businessman Declan Ganley, also admitted defeat, saying that Ireland had made a "mistake."
He paid tribute to Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen's "excellent campaign," for a "Yes" vote, which he said had made "vassals" and "glove puppets" of the opposition.
There was a huge swing towards "Yes" in the Dublin constituencies with 81.67 per cent of the electorate voting in favour of the treaty in Dublin South.
The southern city of Cork was showing a 66 per cent trend in favour of the treaty that aims, among other things, at streamlining the 27-member EU bloc.
In Castlebar, County Mayo in the west of Ireland, 65 per cent had voted "Yes."
With the "Yes" side massively up everywhere, the only question remaining was how big the majority would be.
Ireland, which rejected the Lisbon Treaty by referendum in June 2008, went to the polls Friday to vote on the treaty for the second time.
Estimated turnout was 59 per cent as opposed to 53 per cent in last year's referendum.
The increase is ascribed to people afraid of losing their jobs coming out to vote "Yes."
The votes are being counted individually in each of the 43 constituencies before the results are forwarded to the Central Count Centre in Dublin Castle.
Ireland is the only EU member to have a popular vote on the treaty.
Opinion polls ahead of the vote showed the "Yes" camp surging ahead to 55 per cent, while those backing "No" were down to 27 per cent, leaving around 18 per cent of the electorate undecided.
The Czech Republic and Poland are the other two countries that have not yet ratified the pact - which under EU rules must be unanimously approved by all members for it to come into force.
The Lisbon Treaty, among other reforms, aims to streamline decision-making in the bloc, which has expanded rapidly from 15 to 27 members in recent years.
It would create a "president" and de facto foreign minister for the bloc, as well as ending national vetoes on voting on many issues.
