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

I will answer the question on the Conference on the Future of Europe first because it was a follow-up question from Deputy Ó Murchú that I did not really address in my previous answer. The Government has organised a number of events. Obviously, Covid has restricted things. With EMI and through the Department of Foreign Affairs, I have met a wide range of groups in my capacity as Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, including meetings on a regional basis and meetings with marginalised groups and civic society. I have met young people, LGBT groups, people from the Gaeltacht, islanders and inner-city representatives so I have met a wide range of groups.

Covid has hampered this process. With restrictions having eased, we are planning other events. The Conference on the Future of Europe is not dependent on the Government organising meetings or events. Everybody can do that. This committee has done it. The Dáil and Seanad can do it. Fianna Fáil has done a seminar on the Conference on the Future of Europe. I encourage other parties to replicate that. We will do more as well. There will be Government-run events.

We are looking at the citizens' panel that will take place in Dublin in December. That is obviously a European event. It is not our event but it probably would be an opportune time for all of us to raise the profile of the Conference on the Future of Europe at that time because there will be substantial media interest in these randomly selected European citizens coming to Dublin to have their conversation. If any of the Irish randomly selected citizens would like to speak out about their experience, it would be really helpful and interesting because about eight Irish citizens are involved in this. I do not know any of them. Commissioner Reynders, who is also responsible for GDPR, said that if we can get this through GDPR, he would certainly like to facilitate it. If anyone out there who is involved, it would-----