Paddy Cosgrave, who recently left Trinity College, is heading the project and generated publicity for the campaign's website, rockthevote. ie, via email last week. "We're on the verge of launching an enormous, nonpartisan, nationwide campaign to mobilise young people to get out and vote in the 2007 general election, " he said.

"It's like nothing this country has ever seen before and is completely independent of any political party. The campaign, which is heavily funded by a diverse range of philanthropists, will reach every household, every school, every college and every street in the country in the immediate run up to the election."

American comedian Des Bishop will also be involved.

Cosgrave told the Sunday Tribune that the campaign will involve "everything you could ever imagine, " but repeatedly stressed that he has "no interest in party politics." He and his colleagues hope to raise around Euro1m and will also involve high-profile people from Ireland's sport and music communities to spread their message after it launches on 2 April.

Currently, Rock The Vote has "one main guy" as a financial backer and several other smaller funders.

Cosgrave has calculated that it will take Euro7 to mobilise each voter. The project aims to increase voter turnout by 100,000 people.

Rock The Vote has operated in the US and Britain, backed by MTV and with celebrity endorsement that included the Black Eyed Peas, Dixie Chicks, Bruce Springsteen and Lenny Kravitz. In 1999, Mary Hanafin alluded to Rock The Vote in her plans to combat voter apathy amongst young people, and last Monday Bishop mentioned it on Questions and Answers.

The campaign is currently hiring a director of campaigns, a campus director, a director of communications and a director of events and merchandise, among other positions.