The European Commission has rejected criticism from anti-Nice campaigners for organising, in conjunction with the European Parliament, a two-day visit to Brussels for a group of Irish journalists three weeks before the referendum.
Mr Anthony Coughlan of the National Platform said: "Their programme has been organised to reflect only the integrationists' side of the Nice Treaty debate. It takes no account of the EU-critical views expressed by many members of the European Parliament."
Green MEP for Dublin, Ms Patricia McKenna, called the trip "a gross abuse of taxpayers' money".
A Commission spokesman said the visit had been arranged well before the announcement of the poll date.
Similar visits for the press, trade unionists and civil society groups had been taking place for over 20 years.
The treaty was not on the agenda for the journalists' visit although they were free to ask questions about it, the spokesman said.