While the specific text of the Nice treaty is one of the more complex issues that has been put before the people of this island in recent years, it can be distilled into more understandable language. Put simply, the Nice treaty is about modernising the workings of the European Union. The main institutions were established almost 50 years ago. A great deal has changed in the interim and the EU now needs to evolve. The institutions need to develop in order to accommodate the many changes that have taken place. A number of people on the "No" side have put forward the argument that we should be satisfied with the status quo. The same argument was put forward when Ireland had to decide whether to join the then EEC. It was not a strong argument then and it is not a strong argument now. Surely everyone can see that those who stand still end up going backwards.