Ireland's endorsement is not the end of the road for the EU's Lisbon Treaty, with European leaders immediately turning their attention yesterday to the Czech Republic and its eurosceptic president.
EU Commission chief José Manuel Barroso was buoyed by the Irish Yes vote but was quick to call on the Czechs to complete the process there "as soon as possible".
The reforming treaty must be formally ratified by all 27 EU nations before it can come into force.
While the Irish were the only ones to put the matter to a plebiscite, the Czech Republic and Poland are yet to formally back the text which is aimed at streamlining the institutions of the expanded EU.
"It's a great day for Ireland, it's a great day for Europe," Barroso told reporters in Brussels as the results came through.
"I hope that necessary procedures for entry into force can be completed as quickly as possible in the Czech Republic and Poland," he added, in practically the same breath.
The biggest remaining hurdle for the treaty is the very eurosceptic Czech President Vaclav Klaus, as his Polish counterpart Lech Kaczynski has indicated publicly that he would sign up once the Irish voted Yes.
The Czech parliament has already approved the Lisbon Treaty, which will create new posts of EU president and foreign policy supremo, as well as cutting the number of national vetoes available on European lawmaking. Klaus has said he will not sign off on the text until his nation's Constitutional Court has pronounced on its validity.
The court is currently reviewing a complaint against the treaty filed by a group of Klaus-friendly Czech senators and expects to announce a date for the final ruling within three weeks.
Last Friday, the court in Prague ordered Klaus not to ratify the treaty until it passes a verdict on the document.
"I have every reason to believe the Czech Republic will complete its ratification procedures," said Barroso.
"It is a matter of time," he added.
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, in a statement released after partial results showed some 65 per cent of voters in favour of the treaty, hailed the result while backing Barroso's call to the Czechs.
"It is now important to get the treaty in place. The European Council is united in its wish to see the treaty enter into force before the end of the year," said Reinfeldt, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency.
Poland will sign the treaty "shortly" Reinfeldt stated, adding that he would meet Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer along with Barroso in Brussels on Wednesday.
"We will then discuss the situation and see what actions can be taken to move the situation forward."
EU leaders and the pro-Lisbon camp are hoping the Czechs sign off on the treaty sooner rather than later as British opposition leader David Cameron has promised to hold a referendum there if the treaty is not fully ratified by the time he comes to power.
Cameron's Conservative Party is widely expected to win the upcoming general election which must be held by next June at the latest.
Barroso admitted yesterday that he had not held talks with Klaus since the Czechs handed over the EU presidency to the Swedes at the end of June.
"European governments must now put pressure on Klaus," Martin Schulz, head of the Socialists in the European parliament, told AFP.
The Yes camp's victory at the ballot boxes is just a stage win, he said.
His centre-right counterpart in the parliament, Joseph Daul, expressed the wish that the ratification process be completed in the coming weeks, urging the Czech Republic and Poland not to delay.
Daniel Cohn-Bendit, head of the Greens in the European parliament, underlined that Klaus was the only one blocking the treaty now.
"European governments must put pressure on him and make him understand that he should abandon his policy of obstruction.
"This attitude could also cost the Czechs a commissioner post," when the new European Commission is constructed, he warned.