EU's Barroso thanks Irish after Yes vote for treaty

(BRUSSELS) - EU Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso congratulated and thanked the Irish people on Saturday for endorsing the bloc's reforming Lisbon Treaty at the second time of asking.

"It's a great day for Ireland, it's a great day for Europe," Barroso told reporters as results showed the Yes camp had won the day.

"I want to thank the Irish people for this sign of confidence" in Europe, added Barroso, talking at the headquarters of the EU Commission, the European Union's executive arm.

"I hope ... procedures (for ratifying the treaty) can be completed as quickly as possible in the Czech Republic and Poland, the only two EU nations yet to sign off on the treaty designed to streamline the workings of the bloc which has increased from 15 to 27 nations since 2004.

The Irish voters' change of heart since rejecting the treaty at a first referendum last year "showed that the European Union was ready to listen," to their misgivings, said Barroso, who was recently endorsed to serve a second term as EU Commission chief.

Ireland received several guarantees, following the original No vote, that the treaty would not affect key policies such as its military neutrality or its abortion and tax laws.