Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the update on these matters. I am sure he will join me in expressing sympathy to the family of Mr. Rory Mason from Dunboyne who was tragically killed while fighting for Ukraine last month. I listened to the tribute paid by his father this morning. He said that Rory had a deep sense of right and wrong and an inability to turn the other way. He was obviously a very admirable young man. We should pay tribute to him and extend our sincere sympathy to his family.

On the Conference on the Future of Europe, the Minister has moved the debate on as regards the convention on treaty change with his comments this morning. There are calls to look at switching from unanimity to QMV, strengthening EU competencies in health and energy, incorporating the pillar of social rights into the treaties and providing the European Parliament with a right of legislative initiative. I also note the Minister of State's comments that the General Affairs Council considered that 95% of the conference proposals can be implemented without treaty change. What the Minister of State has outlined here is a cautious approach to treaty change. While Ireland is certainly open to such change, it needs to be proven that it is necessary. We need to consider it carefully because it may require a referendum if there is to be treaty change. I recall listening to a discussion recently at a European Movement Ireland event, where the Taoiseach gave an address to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Ireland's referendum on accession to the European Union. He was asked a question about treaty change and he said that if member states are objecting, they are doing so for very valid national reasons on many occasions. He said it would be far preferable to get a consensus on these issues and generally speaking, consensus can be arrived at. The way the European Union does its business is a bit cumbersome and it is not pretty but eventually, consensus is arrived at. I agree with the Minister of State's comments here this morning. Am I right in saying that the Irish would be open to treaty change but quite cautious and that it is not an immediate priority?

Citizens' panels were another issue that arose from the Conference on the Future of Europe. What is Ireland's position on citizens' panels? Are we open to that concept of participatory democracy and so on? Is that something we will be pushing at EU level?