An "impartial" website for the Irish ahead of June referendum

Irish voters now have one additional instrument to make up their mind ahead of the June referendum that will decide whether Ireland will approve or reject the Reform Treaty.

A new website, http://www.lisbontreaty2008.ie/, was launched on April 20 by an independent body, the Referendum Commission, to ensure that voters are "informed about the issues involved in the forthcoming referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon 2008."

The website says that "others will argue for a Yes or a No vote, but the Referendum Commission's role is to do neither". Its aim, as in every other referendum that Ireland has held in the past years, is to explain what this referendum is about and to encourage people to vote.

On April 28, the chairman of the Referendum Commission, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill, said in a press conference: "Already, there has been considerable public discussion of the Lisbon Treaty, with people on both sides of the debate making their arguments. Many people say there is confusion over what the Treaty would actually do."

He said that in the midst of "heated exchanges", the Referendum Commission would give "an independent, neutral and clear interpretation of what people are being asked to vote upon."

The new website explains in five pages what the 300-page Treaty is about, how the European Union functions at present and how its activities will change if the Treaty comes into force.

It also explains who is entitled to vote, how to register and what to do before the vote.

In May, 2 million copies of the Refrendum Commission's handbook will be distributed to to all voting households, explaining the main issues in just 14 pages.