Irish constitutional referendums, 1998
Two referendums were held together in the Republic of Ireland on 22 May 1998, each on a proposed amendment of the Irish constitution. Both measures were approved. A referendum in Northern Ireland was also held on the same day.
Eighteenth amendment
The Eighteenth Amendment introduced two new articles into the constitution which allowed the government to ratify the Amsterdam Treaty.
Choice | Votes | % |
---|---|---|
![]() |
932,632 | 61.74 |
No | 578,070 | 38.26 |
Valid votes | 1,510,702 | 97.85 |
Invalid or blank votes | 33,228 | 2.15 |
Total votes | 1,543,930 | 100.00 |
Registered voters and turnout | 2,747,088 | 56.20 |
Nineteenth amendment
The Nineteenth Amendment to the constitution allowed the government to ratify the Good Friday Agreement done at Belfast on 10 April 1998, which included changing articles 2 and 3 of the Irish constitution which effectively claimed Irish sovereignty over Northern Ireland. The agreement was also endorsed in the simultaneous referendum in Northern Ireland. Articles 2 and 3 were subsequently changed in December 1999.
Choice | Votes | % |
---|---|---|
![]() |
1,442,583 | 94.39 |
No | 85,748 | 5.61 |
Valid votes | 1,528,331 | 98.90 |
Invalid or blank votes | 17,064 | 1.10 |
Total votes | 1,545,395 | 100.00 |
Registered voters and turnout | 2,747,088 | 56.26 |
See also
- Constitutional amendment
- Politics of the Republic of Ireland
- History of the Republic of Ireland
- Politics of Northern Ireland
- History of Northern Ireland
References
- 1 2 "Referendum Results" (PDF). Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. Retrieved 14 August 2014.