The Irish Alliance for Europe today said the campaign to pass the Lisbon Treaty was only starting after a survey found 80 per cent of people do not understand it.
The Referendum Commission survey found that just 5 per cent understood the treaty, while 15 per cent understood it to some degree.
Irish Alliance for Europe chairman Ruairí Quinn said: "This poll shows . . . the campaign is just beginning, and there is a lot of work to do in relation to ensuring that the Lisbon Treaty is ratified.
No longer will the excuse be able to be trotted out by the No side that there is no information on the treaty - Ruairi Quinn
"It is now time for the factual debate to begin in earnest and for the real issues of the Lisbon Treaty to be discussed.”
Noting the commission will be distributing a leaflet on the treaty to every household in Ireland, Mr Quinn added: “No longer will the excuse be able to be trotted out by the No side that there is no information on the treaty.”
“People will be able to inform themselves on the facts of the treaty. They will be able to see that this treaty protects our vital interests, protects our voice in Europe and will equip Ireland and the EU with the structures needed to tackle the challenges of the 21st century head on."
"The commission's campaign will also try to encourage as many people to use their democratic right and to visit their local polling station on June 12th. This is vitally important so that all Irish people have their say on the Lisbon Treaty,” Mr Quinn said.
Earlier today, John McGuirk, spokesman for the Libertas organisation, said his message for those who are undecided over the legislation was to “get informed”.
He was speaking RTÉ's Morning Irelandtoday about the Sunday Business Postpoll that found 35 per cent in favour of the treaty, 31 per cent opposed to it and 34 per cent undecided.
“The more people who read this treaty, and find out about it, the more likely they are to vote no.” He added there was an “awful lot of anger west of the Shannon, in Border and western parts of the country” among farmers over the issue.
Libertas says it is dedicated to campaigning for greater democratic accountability and transparency in the institutions of the EU
Speaking on the same programme, Minister for European Affairs Dick Roche said the Yes campaign “has to focus on facts”. He added that the poll was a "wake-up call" for those on Yes side, and that it “cannot expect the public to simply fall into line”.
Mr Roche also claimed there were external influences trying to use Ireland and Ireland’s referendum for negative purposes and accused Libertas of attempting to “distort the truth” and “mangle the facts”.
Mr McGuirk said the Minister was “inventing straw men to knock down”.
