Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Apologies for missing the opening statements, but I have read them.

I have a few questions. I will go over ground that other people trod on earlier but which is still in my mind. How does the commission see itself distinguishing between misinformation or disinformation and political messaging or statements that simply go too far and stretch the elastic? I will not deal with the current referendum because I do not want to prejudice anything that might happen. I will go back to a previous referendum. This is a very innocuous example but it is one nonetheless. If we go back to the Lisbon treaty referendum, which I supported and worked hard to try to get passed, I remember at that time many politicians had flyers and posters that mentioned jobs, jobs and jobs. The treaty had nothing to with jobs but obviously somebody somewhere decided this was how the public's attention would be caught. The message would be simple. This angered me, even though, as I said, I supported the treaty because there was no connection. It was not malign intent but, at the same time, it was not accurate information. How does the commission walk that very fine line? For all of us, including me, it is always somebody else who has the wrong interpretation. I am not pointing at the Chair, but it is always somebody else who-----