Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will ask brief questions on what other member states are doing. Is this engagement or conference focused on the easy issues or the difficult ones? The issues that often challenge us are migration, which Senator McDowell mentioned, and defence policy. Is the conference going to do the fluffy stuff that is nice to do and on which it is easy to get everyone's agreement or do the witnesses foresee this engagement being on the real issues that people have a problem with and in respect of which they would like to have input into policy at EU level?

Dr. Day mentioned the difficulty in getting treaties changed. Are other member states considering treaty changes? Is that on the cards? I agree that it is difficult, but it should not stop us from making necessary changes. We have discussed this matter at previous committee meetings and acknowledged the difficulty in Ireland in passing referendums on EU treaties, with issues like defence and a common EU army often coming to the fore. What topics do the witnesses believe will be addressed? It was mentioned that France and Germany had suggested topics. Do we suggest topics to citizens in Ireland or should we ask them what they want discussed?