Opposition parties have denounced the Government information booklet on the Nice Treaty published today, claiming it is "biased" and amounts to "propaganda".
Green Party Leader, Mr Trevor Sargent denounced the leaflet as a "slick editing and production job designed to portray the Nice Treaty in the best possible light".
"It is a biased piece of production," he said. "What the booklet doesn't say is just as important as what it does".
"The fact remains that the Irish people voted no to Nice last June and not one word of this Treaty has been changed," he added.
Sinn Fein TD for Dublin South Central Mr Aengus Ó Snodaigh also attacked the publication, describing it as an abuse of power designed to promote a yes vote.
He described the booklet as "propaganda" and said that it was "being paid for by the tax-payers who voted to reject this Treaty in the first place".
The information booklets published by the Revenue Commission, will be delivered to every household in the State over the next few weeks at a cost of around €600,000.
Speaking at the publication of the booklet earlier today, the Taoiseach Mr Ahern urged the electorate to inform themselves about Nice treaty issues ahead of the referendum. Mr Ahern said he hoped "no information deficit" would remain and people "will feel informed," in this year's referendum.
He said that the booklet was "factual" and did not advocate a yes vote.
The Commission says the booklet explains the main changes that would be made to the EU and its institutions should the Treaty of Nice be ratified by all 15 member states.
A government spokesman said: "The booklet we are circulating also contains basic questions and answers on areas such as the institutions of the EU, enlargement, qualified majority voting and other issues which people may not be familiar with - as well as developments that have taken place in the past year".
Also speaking at the launch, the Tánaiste Ms Harney urged people "to get informed" and described the upcoming referendum as "a matter of great national importance".
- The green party chief whip, Mr Dan Boyle commented that any Dáil debate on a second Nice referendum has the potential of "becoming farcical" in light of government's unwillingness to grant full Dáil status to the Green Party and Sinn Féin, and give proportionate speaking rights to independent members.