Professor Federico Fabbrini:

I thank the Chairman. I have my microphone on correctly now so we should avoid the problems I had earlier.

I understand these are my final remarks so let me try to structure them in three points. In doing so, I will seek to address some of the latest questions I received.

The first point is really on the conference itself. After our conversation this morning, it is clear this project puts itself up for high expectations. We want to involve the citizens and we cannot let them down. Once the project starts, there will be huge pressure to make sure it does not fail. We cannot have citizen participation and ask them what they think about the future of Europe if we do not then follow up on their requests.

In specific response to some of the questions, particularly, from Senator McDowell, there are things we cannot do because of the current treaty structures. In response to Senator Chambers, the conference will have to address difficult questions on which there is no unanimous agreement among the member states, and so on.

That takes me to the second point I wish to emphasise in my concluding remarks. Governance was touched on by a number of Deputies and Senators in their remarks. This is a technical question. People do not get passionate if we talk about intergovernmentalism, la méthode communautaire, der Spitzenkandidatenor whatever. Committee members are representatives of the people and know better than anyone else we need good institutions and good democratic procedures to make sure our constitutional regimes function.

The same is true for the EU. That element, therefore, must be part of the conversation of the Conference on the Future of Europe. It is not something that, perhaps, will warm the heart of many citizens. It is, however, something I believe must be tackled, particularly by the elites, who like the committee members are politicians, or representatives of the European citizens in the European Parliament. I encourage the committee to maintain attention on that point.

I will conclude with a note on the role of Ireland which connects with points Senator McDowell made on justice and home affairs and points my fellow speakers, Dr. Day and Professor Barrett, also emphasised.

I am evermore convinced Ireland is destined to play a leading role in the European Union after Brexit. Ireland remains the only English language country in the European Union and has strong ties with the United States. Only two weeks ago, the Brexit Institute hosted a conference with a leading advisor to Mr. Joe Biden and he basically said the United States will expect Ireland to take up the role the UK usually played in bridging Europe with the United States.

In a sense, I see Ireland as being at the heart of Europe in the future and, of course, the remaining opt-outs Ireland has on a number of European policies, including justice and home affairs, potentially represents an obstacle to that. Europe is moving forward dynamically in those fields. The committee will be aware that, among other things, the European Union recently launched a new European Public Prosecutor's Office which will play an important role in fighting misuse of EU funds in the context of the next multiannual financial framework, MFF, and with respect to world law.

The country will also have to reflect on what its new role will be in the European Union of 27 member states. I mentioned previously that I believe the fact the Minister for Finance of the country is now the president of the Eurogroup is a strong signal that Ireland is perceived by other countries, and crucially, the eurozone countries - the core of the EU - as a key player. That must remain on the agenda of the nation moving ahead.