The Government must send a clear and unified message to the electorate on the economy to aid the Nice campaign, Fianna Fáil TD Mr John McGuinness said.
The Carlow-Kilkenny TD, who was speaking on RTÉ's Morning Irelandradio programme, said the Nice referendum was "hanging on a knife edge".
He said it was not helpful to the Nice campaign that Fianna Fáil were discussing internal economic issues such as third-level fees and the suggestion of taxing child benefit.
"It's almost bordering on the irresponsible to make statements like this in the middle of a very serious campaign about Nice and to set off debating internal economics," he said.
"All of this debate on these issues is simply taking the focus from the Nice referendum and onto two other serious issues which certainly aren't centre of stage at present," said Mr McGuinness.
"I have been asking people to vote for Nice and the response that I've been getting in relation to that request is queries in relation to the economy or the latest statement made by some minister or other.
He added that the electorate preferred to engage on issues about the economy and the Flood report rather than the issues of the Nice Treaty.
"What the electorate are asking for is clear message on the economic issues that are being debated. They simply want to know that a cut is a cut. Any downward adjustment in figures will certainly lead to cuts and they want to know where these are going to fall.
"Quite frankly there is a need for the Cabinet to come out and say there are downward adjustments, which in any layman's language will result in cutbacks in various services and that needs to be explained and we need to be truthful to the electorate," said Mr McGuinness.