Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was today challenged to name a date for the referendum on the EU Reform Treaty.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, whose party opposes the treaty, threw down the gauntlet to Mr Ahern during a meeting with Sinn Fein activists in Dublin.
The West Belfast MP welcomed indications from the Taoiseach that the referendum would take place in early summer but claimed the lack of any firm date was hampering real debate.
"Sinn Fein will be mounting a vigorous campaign against the Lisbon Treaty," Mr Adams said.
"We believe that it is a bad deal for Ireland and would have serious consequences for generations to come. Ireland deserves better.
He said the party activists would be delivering more than 500,000 newsletters door to door and holding a regional meetings.
"This is part of our contribution to a much needed debate on the implications of this treaty for Ireland. To date, the Government are avoiding any real debate. Instead ministers are sent out every few days to say that they will set the date soon."
Ireland is likely to be the only member state to hold a referendum on the treaty.
Mr Ahern stopped short of naming a date for the referendum at a party event in Cork last night, saying it would take place in the early summer - the most likely dates are late May or early June.
Speaking at the Fianna Fail president's dinner in Cork last night Mr Ahern said Tánaiste Brian Cowen, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern and Minister of State for European Affairs Dick Roche would head his party's campaign for a Yes vote.
"Fianna Fail must now show that we are a proud Irish party which places EU membership among one of our core political priorities."
Fine Gael, Labour and the Progressive Democrats will campaign for the treaty as will the Green Perty leadership though many party members oppose the treaty and are free to campaign against it.
Mr Ahern has indicated French president Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel may campaign for a Yes vote in Ireland. But there is also speculation that French far right leader Jean Marie Le Pen will travel to Ireland to urge voters to reject it.