Let us recognise that the Nice treaty is imperfect, that it is not the end of the evolution of the European Union and that such a great evolution is about to take place that we cannot risk putting an end to the treaty. On this issue, as on many others, I agree with Senator Mansergh's view on the idea that we are the bastions of democracy in Europe. Given the degree to which other countries, such as the Nordic countries which I so admire, have transparent institutional arrangements which make ours look close to dictatorship, the idea that the Irish would give people such as the Swedes a lecture about democratic accountability is close to ludicrous. They have levels of accountability, transparency and openness that this country, even following the Freedom of Information Act, 1997, still could not imagine. Nobody says they are perfect, but the idea that we will protect the poor oppressed people of Sweden from this dreadful treaty is a little hard to take.