The chief executive of the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland has accused the No camp in the Nice Treaty referendum of displaying "a worrying tendency towards anti-democratic campaigning".
Meanwhile, the European Movement has urged the Government to hold the referendum at a weekend to maximise the turnout.
Announcing the chamber's campaign for a Yes vote yesterday, Mr John Dunne said that, while it wished to run a positive campaign, he felt obliged to "register a disquiet on the part of the business community at the nature of the No campaign to date".
In particular, he said, it was quite unacceptable for No campaigners to challenge the right of public figures to express their views on the treaty.
Of the arguments against the treaty, Mr Dunne said that they were based on disinformation and lies. Contrary to the claims of the No camp, the Nice Treaty actually increased Ireland's voice in the EU by allowing it to retain its commissioner and by slightly increasing its weighted vote in the Council of Ministers.
Mr Dunne also rejected the claim that a No vote was central to Ireland's economic interests. "This is simply a nonsense argument, akin to the old Green Party position that Ireland does not need foreign investment for its economic development."
He called on the No camp to engage in a proper debate "rather than feed unjustified fears and unacceptable xenophobia". He also warned against voting No in order to punish the Government or the EU. "This seems as sensible to me as suggesting that we set fire to our car to protest about the cost of motor insurance."
A number of leading members of the business community were present to launch the campaign. These included Mr Jack Golden, human resources director of Cement Roadstone Holdings, who said that the way in which the McKenna judgment was interpreted and applied at the last referendum "served to confuse and, I suppose even, really annoyed the electorate".
"The bottom line is Europe needs enlargement. Enlargement needs Nice," Mr Golden said.
Mr Seán Kelly, marketing vice-president at a Cork-based aerospace company, SIFCO Turbine Group, said that if the treaty was rejected a second time it would be seen as a move away from Europe and would create more uncertainty. "Perception is reality abroad," he said. "More uncertainty means less investment and fewer jobs."
Also yesterday, the European Movement called on the Government to hold the referendum on either a Saturday or a Sunday to maximise the turnout.
The group's national chairman, Mr Gerry Maguire, said that on the occasion of the previous referendum large sections of the population had been effectively disenfranchised. These included students, workers living away from home and people who were ill.
Giving details of an information campaign on the treaty, Mr Kelly said independent research showed that more than one-third of No voters at the last referendum voted that way due to lack of information.
In order to remove this information deficit, the one thing they wanted to see from all sides was more honesty. "Trading in lies as 'facts' and stirring up racial hatreds is a gross disservice to the Irish people, to the people of the EU, and most particularly to the people of the applicant countries."
The European Movement campaigned for a Yes vote at the last referendum. However, a spokeswoman said that on this occasion they had decided to "put the facts out there" and let people make up their own minds rather than run a specific Yes campaign.
Mr Joe Higgins, the Socialist Party TD, has criticised the Government's information guide to the treaty, which is to be sent to every home in the State. Calling for the No side to be given the same facility, he said that the Government document was "extremely minimalist" and did not explain the implications of key provisions of the treaty, such as enhanced co-operation.
