FINE GAEL will this week hold the first of a series of 30 national public meetings as part of its campaign for a Yes vote in the forthcoming referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
The party's campaign director, MEP Gay Mitchell, yesterday announced the programme of meetings scheduled to take place across the country over the next months.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny will join a line-up of speakers from politics, academia, and the public and private sectors to discuss the treaty.
Former party leader Alan Dukes is due to address the first meeting, which will take place at the Regency Hotel in Drumcondra, Dublin, this Thursday.
Former taoiseach Garret FitzGerald will address a gathering at the Silver Springs Hotel, Cork, next Monday and will also speak at a number of other events, including a meeting on April 7th at the Stillorgan Park Hotel in Co Dublin.
Gay Mitchell said the meetings mark the start of the party's campaign focusing on the benefits of the Lisbon Treaty.
"It is a hugely important referendum and the party will campaign in a similar manner to a general election. We will make the case for a Yes vote in every parish and are confident of a positive outcome," he added.
Mr Mitchell said the party's other MEPs - Colm Burke (Ireland South), Avril Doyle and Maireád McGuinness (Ireland East) and Jim Higgins (Ireland North West) would play a major role in the campaign.
Lucinda Creighton TD, party spokesperson on European affairs, has been appointed deputy national campaign director.