One of the problems facing the Nice treaty is that the EU is seen to be a symbol of consensus. There has been an unprecedented willingness in recent years to reject consensus. We live in an age of the protest vote, which is used to attack consensus. Voting "No" to the Nice treaty is not the answer. A "No" vote would only secure Ireland's relegation to the second division of the European Union. The key to our involvement in the European Union and its development is to vote "Yes" and have a strong voice at the heart of the Union. We have heard Senator after Senator say that Ireland manages to punch well above its weight by population within the EU. This is true. If we vote "No" for a second time we will lose the clout that we have established over the years.