The Lisbon Treaty referendum will be held in the second week of June, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dáil today.
However, an exact date has yet to be finalised, Mr Ahern said.
He said the Government would consult with Opposition parties to agree on a specific polling date.
Mr Ahern pointed out that the first referendum on the Nice Treaty in 2001 took place on a Thursday and the second vote was held on a Saturday.
The Taoiseach today denied the timing of the referendum for the Lisbon Treaty will stop Leaving Cert students casting their ballots. He said the Leaving Cert begins on June 4th and the main exams are finished on June 12th. He said that exams for third level students run from the first week of May to early June.
"If you go too much after that, there is now a large exodus for people who rightly take well-earned holidays," he explained.
Fine Gael TD Alan Shatter said the clash with the Leaving Cert may affect participation by young people. "There will be a large number of teenagers who are eligible to vote but in the second week of June will be very focused on their Leaving Cert exams," he said.
Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said the Government deciding on the week but not the date was like telling the Opposition: "you can have any colour you like as long as it is black".
Mr Ahern assured the Dáil that there was enough information on the Treaty publicly available from the Government, the Forum on Europe and the Referendum Commission. "This is not a complex treaty. This is no Maastricht. This is no Amsterdam," he added.
Fine Gael TD Billy Timmins complained that anti-Treaty groups were spreading inaccurate information about the charter.