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The main reason people voted No to the Lisbon Treaty was a lack of knowledge or understanding of what they were voting on, according to the results of an opinion poll carried out for the Government.

A total of 42 per cent of those who voted No cited this as the main reason, according to the poll carried out by Millward Brown IMS in the last week of July.

The poll also demonstrated a poor level of knowledge among the voters about the EU and the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty. 

A total of 33 per cent of the electorate thought that the introduction of conscription into a European army was included in the Lisbon Treaty while 34 per cent believed that it would end Ireland’s control over the country’s abortion policy. 

“An EU knowledge deficit is clearly present which has undoubtedly contributed to the No vote,” according to the pollsters.