Irish POV: you needed a referendum commission

[Jeanniejampots80]

In Ireland for referendums we have a referendum commission. They are a body responsible for producing unbiased info for both sides in a referendum. They also can force sides to stop campaigning on lies e.g. The 350 million.

It might or might not have changed the result but it sure as hell should have made sure there were less lies bandied about by either side and that no one was voting based on a lie.

[stilllovingmysleep]

That sounds very sensible! Particularly as referendums tend to get really really polarised and divisive

[Thewolfsjustapuppy]

I think you have more referendums in Ireland so you are a little more clued up on how to manage them.

[annandale]

That sounds ridiculously sensible Jeannie.

I suspect that it would have been hard to create a referendum commission that would have been regarded as independent but it might have tipped the balance.

The Bbc makes huge efforts to be impartial but is routinely said to be biased.

[Jeanniejampots80]

Ah Maybe I think the result would be remain as everyone I know would vote stay :) but at least we would have some unbiased info :)

[Rinceoir]

Jeannie I couldn't believe we didn't have an equivalent here- I was looking for my little booklet explaining things! I was talking to my colleagues about it and they all thought it was a great idea, although I suppose we do have a lot more referenda at home.

[Jeanniejampots80]

Do you mean on the border Maybe? I think officially we have a blasphemy one and a voting rights one next and I may be wrong but I read somewhere the border vote would have to be done in NI first and only in south if they say yes. But I may be wrong and yes it would be awful.

[BurnTheBlackSuit]

Maybe- when's Ireland's next referendum?

[Jeanniejampots80]

Ah yes the little booklet Rinceoir usually yellow, as neutral a colour too :) have to be honest have always found it useful!

[Jeanniejampots80]

Ah yes, when will we get that one. There will def be an age split on that one!!!

[Jeanniejampots80]

I reckon the border one won't be for a very very long time regardless of Mary Lou practically wanting it this week.

[Dontlaugh]

Do we have the Commission because the outcome of our referenda are binding, hence much more impact on our Constitution? As opposed to the UK, which doesn't have a Constitution and where referendum results are advisory per se, as opposed to binding?
Just pondering, as I am still learning so much from all these threads.

[MitzyLeFrouf]

Yes OP totally agree! This ref badly needed an unbiased referee. Once the lies were repeated enough times no amount of sensible presentation of the facts could erase them.

[MitzyLeFrouf]

To be honest I think if their was a referendum on leaving EU in Ireland it would be a leave result to.

I sincerely doubt that.

[Jeanniejampots80]

No Dontlaugh we have it as Patricia McKenna won a Supreme Court case in 1995 I think. She argued that it was uncostitional for Gov funds to only be spent on one side of the argument (whatever side they wanted). Hence the spending on unbiased info for both sides.

[Jeanniejampots80]

I don't think so either Mitzy

[Dontlaugh]

Every day a school day

[mathanxiety]

After seeing what Brexit has accomplished, I doubt Ireland would vote Leave.

I am still gobsmacked at the result and wondering (not for the first time) at the sheer amateurishness of politicians who sincerely believe themselves to be world leaders and who were treated as world leaders.

[ScarletForYa]

Ireland can't leave, our economy needs Europe too much.

[Jeanniejampots80]

There is no chance of Ireland leaving. There is no chance even if a referendum on the issue. We may be proud of our country but I don't think anyone who has any sense doesn't realise we are quite tiny and need the EU to survive.

[ElspethFlashman]

I read that 87% of the front page news headlines on the referendum were Leave.

You can't have that here. The Commission shuts that shit down pronto. It has to be 50/50 or else.

[Rinceoir]

No hope of Ireland leaving- there may be some lingering resentment for austerity but on the whole the EU has been good for us. i can't imagine a border going up again either- I think both governments will fight to prevent that from happening.

[Lottapianos]

'You can't have that here. The Commission shuts that shit down pronto'

And quite right too

'We may be proud of our country but I don't think anyone who has any sense doesn't realise we are quite tiny and need the EU to survive.'

Same goes for the UK really. Too many people are under the impression that we're some great hulking Superpower, seat of the Empire and all that crap, special case, special status blahblahblah. Its pathetic and embarrassing.