Martin defends €163k Lisbon research
Expensively funded research unveiled by Foreign Minister Micheál Martin found that 42% of no voters and those who abstained did so because they had a lack of information or understanding of the EU document.
Despite government departments being ordered to prepare plans for swingeing cuts in the emergency October budget, Mr Martin said the survey of just over 2,000 people had been worth the cost and that pro-yes parties needed to learn lessons from it. The failure to explain occurred despite the Referendum Commission having a budget of €5 million for the campaign, of which €2.7m went on an advertising blitz.
