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Libertas slams Gormley’s “hypocrisy” on referendum commission
Written by Libertas   
Monday, 07 January 2008
Libertas has this morning challenged the Government to explain why it has taken a decision not to allow the referendum commission to distribute a booklet outlining the arguments for and against the Lisbon Treaty.

The decision, by Environment Minister John Gormley, means that the commission’s only role will be to promote the date of the referendum and to encourage people to vote.

Commenting, Libertas Founder Declan J. Ganley said that the decision meant that the Government was depriving the Irish people of their only source of neutral arguments for and against the treaty, and that Minister Gormley’s statement showed the extent to which he had been “house-trained” by his Government colleagues:

“The Government is trying to ensure that as few people as possible hear the arguments against the treaty. What is the point of having a referendum commission at all if its only role is to encourage people to vote? – there are any number of organisations on both sides that will be doing that for free without any cost to the taxpayer. This is ridiculous.

During the last referendum on Europe, Nice II, Minister Gormley was quoted in the Irish Times as follows, referring to the referendum commission:

The Green Party foreign affairs spokesman, Mr John Gormley, said the Government was intent on rushing through the new Referendum Bill before the Dáil recess on Friday. He said the legislation would not properly be debated and was intended to "clip the wings" of the Referendum Commission. He said the real intention was to ensure that the Irish people did not get real information on a second Nice Referendum”

It is an amazing thing to see how less concerned Minister Gormley is for “the Irish people” now that he’s in Government”.

Mr. Ganley also commented the Libertas would be unveiling a major response to Mr. Gormley’s announcement in the next few days.
Last Updated ( Monday, 07 January 2008 )
 
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