BY SIMON BROUDER SINCE the Lisbon 2 campaign kicked into high gear last week it's been the 'No' side that's been drawing the ire of most commentators, thanks to their frequently ludicrous and often blatantly false claims in the press.

However, while the vitriol has been largely spared for the 'No' side 'Yes' campaigners have a few questions of their own to answer.

The main one being, why do you insist on treating voters like particularly stupid children?

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the cinema in Tralee where I was assailed by two of the pro-European movement's most infuriatingly patronising adverts.

Anyone who's been to the movies in recent weeks will probably be familiar with these twin works of condescending art which ask audiences "what's this EU thingy?"

The annoyingly jaunty ads explain, in terms a three-year-old would find patronising, that far from being one of the world's most innovative and highly complex bureaucratic systems of government, the cuddly "EU Thingy" is simply responsible for keeping their cinema seats soft and ensuring their popcorn is nice and crunchy.

The two ads, yes you're forced to sit through two of the things, end with a question: "what is the EU thingy doing for me?"

Well, apart from treating me like a five-yearold it appears it's wasting my money on idiotic ads aimed at viewers who wont even be eligible to vote next month.

Why oh why do the yes campaign insist on treating us like barely sentient infants?

One of the main reasons the Lisbon referendum was rejected last time out was because the 'Yes' side didn't bother to engage with the electorate. Is their answer now to treat us like morons instead?

It hardly seems like a recipe for success.

The EU office in Dublin and Edelmen PR, the good people behind the ' Thingy' campaign, say their campaign is merely aimed at promoting knowledge of Europe and isn't, as such, designed to promote Lisbon 2. That's fair enough, but a cursory look at the campaign website, www.talktoeu.ie, and the fact that the campaign just happened to be launched.

Surely a better response to the scare mongering tactics of some of the liars on the 'No' side would be to present a logical and coherent campaign, explaining the facts in a clear no nonsense, and adult, manner.

I seem to remember the 'Yes' side promising something similar a few months back, looks like it's slipped their mind in all the excitement. ALL are invited to attend an information meeting on Lisbon at the Dromhall Hotel, Killarney, on Thursday next, September 17, at 8pm.

The 'Vote to End all Votes' information evening is Lisbon neutral and is being convened by an independent group of citizens in the Killarney area to inform the electorate of the many issues at stake.

"Our guest speaker will be Kathy Sinnott and we invite everyone who's interested to come along as the forum will provide a great opportunity to learn more about the treaty," a spokesperson said.