Polling at the referendum took place on Saturday, 19 October 2002.
The subject matter of the referendum was described as follows in the official
polling card sent to each elector:
“1. THE TWENTY-SIXTH AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION BILL,
2002 proposes to insert the following subsections after subsection 6°
of section 4 of Article 29 of the Constitution:
‘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.’.”
