We must address the institutional changes proposed in the treaty. These are membership of the EU Commission, the decision making process of the Council of Ministers and the make-up of the European Parliament and other EU institutions. The Commission is made up of 20 members from 15 member states, the largest five states have two commissioners each and the smaller states, including Ireland, have one. The Nice treaty stipulates that when the EU comprises 27 members, member states will lose their automatic right to a commissioner. Will this isolate or discriminate against Ireland? Certainly not. The rotation of membership of the Commission will not happen until membership of the Union grows from 15 to 27. Knowing our own tortuous experience and the detailed dialogue which must take place before a member gains accession to the EU, this will not happen for many years.