Referendum Commission spent €2.7m on adverts

THE Referendum Commission for the Lisbon treaty spent €2.7 million of its €5m budget on media advertising.

Figures obtained by the Irish Examiner reveal the commission’s spending on advertising, legal costs, design and administrative expenses.

The commission, set up in March and chaired by High Court Judge Iarfhlaith O’Neill, submitted a breakdown on its expenditure to the Department of Foreign Affairs last week.