Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ultimately, we will have to wait for the format of the conference to be agreed. The European Council and European Parliament would have to agree on how this will work. Our view is very strongly that it would involve citizens from the ground up. That would be decided on a European level, but I imagine it would be up to us, particularly the Oireachtas and this committee, to put that in place. I am certainly getting my ideas across to my colleagues as to what form that should take. There should be an informed debate among citizens. It must be from the ground up and it cannot just involve the great and the good alone. There is a place for everybody and citizens must be involved. I am making that case to my ministerial colleagues. I am sure the Chairman will put forward the committee's views to the conference of parliamentary committees and European colleagues. They will also be part of the decision process. We must all do our bit but there must be strong citizen engagement on relevant issues.