Taoiseach denies leaflet on the fiscal treaty is an attempt to get a ‘yes’ vote

Have you received your helpful European Union Fiscal Treaty Referendum information pack from the Government yet? No? Well given the uproar about it, we imagine that it’ll make for some interesting reading…

The Irish Times reports that the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, has completely dismissed claims that the information being sent out by the Government to every house in Ireland is blatantly encouraging voters to vote ‘yes’ in the upcoming referendum.

According to Enda, the information about the treaty is a “merely factual” explanation of what the treaty is about. Do you believe him?

As well as a helpful leaflet which explains the “merely factual” elements of the treaty, you’ll also be given a copy of the fiscal treaty itself which you can peruse in English or as Gaeilge (if the mood strikes you).

“This is entirely in keeping with the McKenna judgement,” said the Taoiseach, speaking about the claims that the information was just another attempt by the Government to garner a yes vote from the public.

Yesterday the Government flat out denied that its €2.2million publicity campaign goes against the McKenna judgement. The McKenna judgement means that the State cannot use public funds to promote one side or another in the lead up to a referendum.

Enda has said that the Referendum Commission, which is in charge of providing information to the public, would act independently in its work – away from the views of the Government.

A spokesman for the Government said yesterday that all the material which is being sent to households across the country has been cleared by the Attorney General to make sure that it complied with the McKenna judgement.

So the Attorney General has given the documents the go ahead. It’s safe to say then that all subliminal messaging has been removed and none of us will be waking up at 3am saying “vote yes, vote yes…” like zombies. Eh…we hope…