Treaty vote under way in Ireland

DUBLIN, Ireland, June 10 (UPI) -- Irish voters seeking to cast ballots on the European Union's proposed Lisbon Treaty were at the polls Tuesday for a referendum on the measure.

Bad weather delayed the arrival of ballot boxes in some parts of Ireland but people were at the polls by Tuesday afternoon, EuroNews.net reported. Voting will wrap up Thursday.

Ireland, which has been one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the EU since its inception in 1973, nonetheless seems poised to defeat a referendum on the country's acceptance of the treaty, which would streamline and strengthen the EU's governance.

The analysis in the Wall Street Journal's European edition cites two polls released last week indicating momentum continuing for the "no" side, with one indicating treaty supporters have seen their "yes" lead shrink from the 8 percentage points of two weeks ago to 3 points. The other poll reportedly showed the "no" vote in the lead.

The analysis blames a perceived threat to Ireland's long-held neutrality on military matters. One of the Lisbon treaty's provisions would enhance the EU's defense policies and Irish voters, the analysis says, are reluctant to commit to a treaty that would imply a moral responsibility for European defense policies.