Referendum Commission

alleepally

Went to look up a bit more about the upcoming referendum, so I naturally went to www.refcom.ie

Looks like we're not going to get a commission for this referendum. Is it that the government feel the result is a foregone conclusion?

I for one would like to hear the arguments for and against the change in the constituion. I don't want to hear a one sided view from the government.

rde

There's a long, tedious thread on that already; you really don't want to start another one. Trust me. Make a pot of coffee, and read the other thread.

I'd be very interested, though, to hear if anyone's asked the Minister for the Environment why there's no commissioner for the forthcoming referendum (they're at http://www.environ.ie , if anyone wants to see what they don't say). The given address for queries is press-office@environ.ie (I've just fired off an email).

Edit: gosh diddly darn it, that url needs www in front of it. Who's the dipshit who registers these things?

alleepally

I actually did a search for refcom.ie in the politics forum before posting and it came up blank for anything on this referendum.

sceptre

I assume alleepally wasn't trying to start a debate on the, er, substantive issue here. I'm rather miffed that, by the looks of things, there will be no little brochure dropping in the doors (especially the doors of those who never watch the news or read) to inform people of the pros and cons. Looks like Cullen is doing his best to just keep people in the dark. Thanks Martin, I guess we'll just have to listen to politicians acting in their private capacity as party members and trust them to tell us the pros and cons honestly. That could work in nanoo-nanoo land (shame we don't live there).



No idea why someone didn't just add environ.ie as a DNS entry. Plonkers.

rde

No-one mentioned refcom.ie ; I see now why. The thread's here

alleepally

The full thread on the debate I didn't feel appropriate and as sceptre said this thread was taking a different angle.

sceptre

Incidentally for anyone who hasn't been following the news, the debate on the legislation required to propose the amendment will take place this week with a vote most likely at the beginning of next week. I suppose Cullen could always appoint a commission then.

arcadegame2004

Well its only April there's still time to appoint one. And anyway there are other avenues open to people who want to inform themselves, namely the text of the referendum itself, which by definition cannot be a lie.

alleepally

Seems like it is being left very late. The other referenda had ads running well before the vote date. Of coure there are other avenues. that's not the point I'm making. Having the commission will point out the pro's and con's - it is an impartial body and we don't get one side rammed down our throats.

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/3072889?view=Eircomnet

Justice Kearns to chair Referendum commission
From:ireland.com
Saturday, 24th April, 2004

Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns of the High Court is to chair the Referendum Commission for the poll on citizenship.

The Judge yesterday accepted the invitation to the position, from the Minister for the Environment and local Government, Mr Cullen.

The commission's primary role is to explain the subject matter of the referendum to the population at large, as simply and effectively as possible.