The normally mild-mannered Dutch are annoyed. They didn't get the chance to vote on the Lisbon Treaty and 42,000 of them signed up to a protest petition. What the Dutch don't realise is how the Irish electorate have been pulled apart by misinformation, blinded by scaremongering and tortured towards polling day. Perhaps if they knew how horrendously awful the campaign has been here, the Dutch might feel differently about voting on Lisbon.

I am one of the many undecided voters. Having listened to endless rubbish from both sides of the campaign, I decided to seek out some independent information. I logged onto the Referendum Commission website, but the bureaucratic rhetoric did not shed much light on the essence of what we are being asked to vote for. So I was delighted to see the Commission organise a "clarification" press conference on Wednesday.

"I'm not surprised that there has been confusion," said the Commission chairman, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill. He was referring to myths about the treaty circulated by the No campaign, which he felt were a cause for concern for voters. At last, I thought, my indecision will now be laid to rest by the body charged to explain the treaty to the electorate. Then, in an instant, or rather during four minutes of silence, the hopes of the undecided masses were dashed. O'Neill
doesn't understand the treaty either. Asked a question about the text in his own press release, he was flummoxed. Not only are we being stuffed with propaganda from the Yes and No sides, now we learn that those charged with communicating the detail haven't a clue either.

The pro-treaty gang, particularly the government, tell me I should vote yes because it would be rude not to. "Look at what you got from the EU," they say, pointing at clogged-up motorways and trains that are great when the drivers decide to drive them. Of course, we know Ireland has benefited from EU membership, but we are all grown-up now and we should not be asked to vote yes as a sign of our deep gratitude for EU generosity.

Women's groups said last week, that if it wasn't for the EU, women wouldn't be getting equal pay and equal rights. "Remember what Europe has done for us," they said as they pushed for a yes vote while being pictured sipping cups of tea in a hotel. There are many women in this country who are not being paid the same as their male counterparts for the same work, but even if this were not the case, what on earth has historical EU legislation got to do with the Lisbon Treaty?

Fine Gael's Simon Coveney reckons the treaty is about, in part at least, allowing the EU to deal more effectively with climate change. The fact that it barely makes mention of climate change hasn't stopped the Yes men from claiming that the hip and trendy problem du jour will be magically solved, if only you tick the right box.

And so to the No campaign. At
one stage, abortion, prostitution and euthanasia loomed as becoming mandatory policy in every town and village in the country.

Ratifying this treaty will have dire effects on workers, on democracy and on our very social fibre. While many of the more bizarre anti-treaty arguments have been successfully challenged, ambiguity surrounds others. I have yet to see a concrete and convincing argument from either side which makes complete sense.

The machinery of Irish politics and even the Referendum Commission should feel deeply embarrassed at how this campaign has been run. Not one lobby group or independent body has explained the treaty clearly and correctly. Scaring the electorate into a vote either way has characterised the campaign so far. The Referendum Commission has failed in its essential task to filter the muddy waters and serve the Irish people with the information that we are entitled to.

The undecided amongst us have until Thursday to make up our minds. Hopefully, by then, an honest broker, one who knows the facts, will explain exactly what it is we are being asked to decide.

Claire Byrne co-presents 'The Breakfast Show' on NewsTalk 106-108FM