THE GOVERNMENT will publish the Bill to facilitate the referendum on the Lisbon Treaty tomorrow with the legislation expected to pass through the Dáil and Seanad within a fortnight.
However, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern would not name the actual date for the referendum yesterday, other than saying it will take place "at the very end of May or into mid-June".
This drew criticism from all Opposition parties, with Enda Kenny of Fine Gael, Éamon Gilmore of Labour and Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin of Sinn Féin arguing there was no reason not to name a date. "Fine Gael wants to lay out its programme of public meetings and get on with its schedule of supporting the treaty publicly and strongly," said Mr Kenny, adding that he wanted to know the date as soon as possible.
Mr Ahern did tell the Dáil that the Referendum Commission - responsible for disseminating information and overseeing the balance required by the Constitution - would be set up quickly and would be given 90 days to fulfil its duties. Following the Nice II referendum, the commission had recommended a period of 90 days to allow it fulfil its mandate.
Mr Ahern later became involved in an exchange with Labour spokesman on Europe Joe Costello in relation to the non-availability to the public of copies of the Lisbon Treaty.
Mr Costello told the Dáil: "Why is the Government asking the people of this country to vote approval of the treaty without supplying them with a copy of it?"
Mr Ahern replied the Institute of European Affairs had prepared a consolidated copy of the treaty.
But Mr Costello claimed it was a bit rich of the Taoiseach to say that a private institute had published copies while the Government was refusing to publish them. He said that it was not widely available.
Said Mr Ahern: "It is a long document but is available if required." He said that the White Paper on the Lisbon Treaty would be available within a fortnight: "We will see how many people want the long document. I have seen a draft of the White Paper which is a very good document," he said.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald said assurances in the Lisbon Treaty in relation to protection of workers and the environment were merely "fluff and frills to take the bad look off the treaty". She said ratification of the treaty would undermine Ireland's position in Europe.
But Fine Gael MEP Gay Mitchell said the treaty provided for more democracy and a stronger role for national governments.
Both MEPs were speaking at a National Forum on Europe debate in Liberty Hall, Dublin, yesterday. The treaty strengthened the social component of the EU, Mr Mitchell said, with provisions on human rights, workers' rights, and environmental and consumer protection.
It also gave a stronger role to the Dáil and Seanad and to citizens with the inclusion of a right to petition the European Commission to launch new initiatives, he said. Decisions on tax and defence would remain the preserve of national governments and Ireland would not be thrust into membership of a common defence group with other EU states, he said.
"This treaty will allow the union to develop further to the benefit of Ireland and all other states. It will enhance human rights and provide clearly defined rules for who does what," said Mr Mitchell.
Ms McDonald said she was committed to the EU and wanted to see Ireland play a full position. However, she added: "This treaty undermines our influence in Europe - half our voting rights are to be taken away - and it utterly fails to deliver the kind of democratic reform that is required."