Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I welcome Mr. De Rossa. I am disappointed that we do not have a title for MEPs.

It is useful for Senators and the Seanad, as an institution, to discuss the Convention. This is the first of a three part process where we can listen to and debate with the members of the Convention on the Future of Europe. It is also important in the broader public interest.

We listened to Mr. De Rossa with interest. Among the political chattering classes there is an interest in the ongoing debate on the European Union but among our constituents, since the passing of the Nice treaty, the debate has wound down. There will be a bridge to cross in a few months time when we want to sell the concept of a new treaty of Europe to the people. We are all in favour of the Union which we take for granted but, as we learned in the debate on the Nice treaty, when there is serious structural or institutional reform, doubts will creep in.

The work of the Convention is valuable and it is important that it is kept in the public eye. The Forum on Europe has been working effectively but its message has been disseminated to a small number of individuals, those who will always tune into debates on the European Union and attend forum meetings. We must ask how we can extend the debate to the hundreds of thousands completely unaware of it, the people who will have to be engaged when we are making the final decisions on the future of Europe.