Every home will soon to receive a booklet explaining the European Constitution in a bid to significantly improve public awareness, the Government confirmed today.
The Minister of State in the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for European Affairs, Mr Noel Treacy, acknowledged concerns about a recent Europe-wide poll which showed almost half of citizens surveyed people had not heard of the constitution even though it was agreed during Ireland's EU presidency.
This compared to an EU average of one third. The Galway East TD insisted the coalition had a strategy to make the public more knowledgeable about the document in the run up to a referendum.
"I recognise that more has to be done to explain the constitution to the public and to make its benefits clear," he said. "The Government is taking a number of important steps to do this, building on the work which has already been done.
"Well in advance of a referendum, we will be giving the Referendum Commission the time and resources it needs to do its job of explaining the issues and encouraging turnout.
"The Government itself will be publishing a full White Paper and will in due course send a short explanatory document to every home. The text of the constitution itself will be freely available." Ireland ranked 22nd out of 25 countries in a recent Eurobarometer poll when it came to knowledge of the EU Constitution.
Following the experience of the Nice Treaty referenda in 2001 and 2002, the Taoiseach Mr Ahern's coalition has been under pressure to ensure the debate on the EU Constitution engages the public. At the launch of a series of nationwide seminars on the proposed constitution, Green Party chief whip Mr Dan Boyle called for informed debate.
"The Government needs to conduct a wider and more balanced debate than it did for the first and second Nice Referendums in 2001 and 2002," the Cork South Central TD said.