Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I do not agree with the Deputy that the Government has been in some way lethargic. The reform treaty was only signed on 13 December. We have to prepare legislation which is currently with the Attorney General's office. The referendum commission will not be able to be up and running any earlier than the day the Bill is published. The normal course is that after the Bill is published the referendum commission would be set up in good time for whenever the date for the referendum is chosen. The Deputy is aware of this. We are liaising with the Deputy's party and other like minded parties in the Oireachtas on a possible date and also whether it is linked with any other referendum. From that point of view, a website is already up and running and is widely used by the general public. We have already issued a small explanatory leaflet which is widely available. In the next couple of weeks we will publish a 20 page user's guide on the reform treaty. We will publish a White Paper and, obviously, the Bill. There will be a debate in the House and I hope the Deputy's party is as well prepared as our party. I understand the Deputy's party has already set up a structure within his party to prosecute a good campaign on behalf of the major political parties who are in favour of the treaty. In regard to the terms of reference, it will be for the commission to promulgate information on the treaty. Heretofore, in the earlier EU referenda, it had to promulgate a yes and a no. The referendum commission will be properly resourced. In the Estimates campaign last year I readily received €5.8 million from the Minister for Finance which will be available to the commission once the Bill is published and the Government makes a decision on the date of the referendum. The commission will have the required time. Usually it requires about three months to promote a referendum campaign.

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