Coughlan criticises chairman's 'solo runs'

REFERENDUM COMMISSION:PROMINENT ANTI-Lisbon Treaty campaigner Anthony Coughlan has written to the Referendum Commission chairman Mr Justice Frank Clarke strongly criticising his, and his commission's role in the referendum campaign.

He said the explanatory guide produced by the commission made no attempt to inform citizens about the proposed constitutional amendment, despite that being its prime statutory duty.

“As for yourself personally, instead of doing the job which the Referendum Acts impose on you, you have arrogated to yourself the task of answering questions on the Lisbon Treaty on the radio and in the press, in which you give your personal opinions and judgments, whereas all statements by the commission should be collectively agreed by its members, as the Referendum Acts clearly envisage,” Mr Coughlan wrote.

“In no way do the Referendum Acts authorise you to do the ‘solo runs’ on radio and in the press that you have undertaken.”

He claimed this “dereliction of duty on your part and that of your fellow commissioners amounts to constitutional delinquency of a high order, as well as being a gross misuse of the €4 million of public money”.

Mr Coughlan, director of the National Platform EU Research and Information Centre, told Mr Justice Clarke the referendum campaign had been “characterised by monstrous illegality” on the part of several key parties.

A commission spokesman said it had no comment to make.