Fianna Fáil backbencher Mary O'Rourke has urged the Government to name the date for the Lisbon Treaty referendum. She raised the matter yesterday at a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs.
"I feel our purpose here, certainly for this term and the next, is to promote and promulgate the whole idea of the Lisbon Treaty. We are working in a vacuum as of now." Ms O'Rourke said that while events in other European countries were important, the "home agenda" was currently the most tantalising.
"We cannot embark on our nationwide tour, so to speak, until we know the date." She suggested the distribution of a "clause by clause, layman's guide" to the treaty.
"Those who are promulgating the contrary view have a fertile field. We have nothing in our hands. We have nothing we can quote to rebut whatever contentions they have."
She said that she had yet to meet a constituent who had voluntarily raised the treaty. "It does not engage people. If I was asked to stand up today in the Institute of Technology in Athlone, and put forward this committee's case for Lisbon, I would be unable to do so."
When Minister of State for European Affairs Dick Roche, indicated that documentation had already been circulated, Ms O'Rourke said it was "no good".
Mr Roche said that he was in favour of the referendum being held in the first half of the year.
He added that holding the referendum in the first half of the year would provide more than ample time to circulate "factual, truthful, objective information to the public".
Fine Gael foreign affairs spokesman Billy Timmins said it was important that the referendum commission be established as soon as possible. "I have read the actual treaty, and I must say you would be none the wiser afterwards."
Lucinda Creighton (FG, Dublin South East) asked if the Minister had any information relating to organisations, particularly from the far right, campaigning against the treaty's ratification.
Mr Roche said he would not engage in a debate on personalities, adding that he believed the treaty would be sold on its merits.
Senator Paschal Donohoe (FG) said that it had emerged "crystal clear" from the committee's meeting with the social partners that it was imperative the Government engage quickly with the trade union movement on the issue. He added that they had an exceptionally negative view of the EU Commission.
