Sir, - Why is the forthcoming referendum on cabinet confidentiality so confidential? It is only a few days away, yet I have only just seen the wording and have not been aware of any high-profile TV programmes on the issue. I don't know whether a Yes vote will introduce confidentiality, remove confidentiality, or do a bit of both - which seems to be the case from what I gather from the few debates I have happened to tune into on the radio and the little I have seen in the newspapers.
The near-silence on the issue is so bad that, unless the situation is remedied, the first that many people will know of the referendum is when they are handed two ballot papers at the polling booths for the presidential election. The lack of information is disgraceful and shameful on the part of the Government, which is, after all, the proposer. Apart from a few individual TDs, all parties seem to support a Yes vote. But how can we be expected to vote Yes to something we know nothing about? Is there a reason? Why did nobody leak the wording? - Yours, etc.,
Portmarnock, Co Dublin.