Almost four in every five voters, 77.83 per cent, approved the referendum to give constitutional recognition to local government. The turn-out was 51.08 per cent.
The most interesting aspect of the referendum, however, was the unusually large number of spoiled votes in every local authority area in the State. A total of 109,066 of the 1,024,850 votes cast were spoiled.
The approval of the amendment allows for the insertion of a new Article 28A into the Constitution. This Article obliges the Government to hold local elections at least every five years.
The combination of law and ministerial direction to date has meant that the local elections have been postponed on every occasion over the last 20 years. The last full local elections, prior to Friday's, were held in 1991.
There was an overall vote of 77.83 per cent in favour and 22.17 per cent against the amendment. The highest Yes vote - 82.70 per cent - was recorded in the electoral region of Mayo County Council. The lowest, at 74.59 per cent, was in South Dublin. The highest No vote was in the electoral region of Dublin Corporation.
The number of spoiled votes was marked in all local areas, the highest being in the Kerry County Council area (6,760), followed by Fingal County Council (6,516), Dublin Corporation (6,162), Cork County Council South (5,504) and Mayo County Council (5,063).
The wording of the amendment to be inserted in the Constitution states:
"1. The State recognises the role of local government in providing a forum for the democratic representation of local communities, in exercising and performing at local level powers and functions conferred by law and in promoting by its initiatives the interests of such communities.
2. There shall be such directly elected local authorities as may be determined by law and their powers and functions shall, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, be so determined and shall be exercised and performed in accordance with law.
3. Elections for members of such local authorities shall be held not later than the end of the fifth year after the year in which they were last held.
4. Every citizen who has the right to vote at an election for members of Dail Eireann and such other persons as may be determined by law shall have the right to vote at an election for members of such of the local authorities referred to in section 2 of this Article as shall be determined by law.
5. Casual vacancies in the membership of local authorities referred to in section 2 of this Article shall be filled in accordance with law."
