Irish vote to create Court of Appeal in referendum

Ireland's referendum to establish a Court of Appeal has been passed by a landslide majority, official results showed. Saturday evening's results showed that over 65 percent of voters were in favor of establishing the court. The average turnout was about 40 percent. More than 60 percent of people in 42 out of the country's 43 constituencies voted yes. The new court, to be set up at a level between the High Court and the Supreme Court, is expected to be operating by the time next year. It will hear most of the appeals which are currently heard by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court will hear only what it considers to be cases of general public importance, or where the interest of justice demands that it hear a case. On Friday, Ireland voted in the referendums on whether to abolish the Senate and whether to set up a Court of Appeal. Final result showed on Saturday afternoon that some 51.7 percent of the electorate has rejected the proposition to scrap the upper house with 48.3 percent voting in favor. At the Dublin Castle, Kenny admitted defeat in the Senate abolition referendum. "Sometimes in politics you get a wallop," he said. He told reporters that he was "personally disappointed", but accepted the result of the referendum. Observers say the defeat in the referendum marks a major blow for Kenny and his embattled government, which is preparing for another cost-cutting austerity budget on Oct. 15, two months early this year to meet a European Commission requirement.