I will set out the underlying principles guiding Ireland's approach to the institutional issues because this approach will be central in the final part of the Convention's work. I hope these principles, which I have set out elsewhere, are widely shared across the Union and, in particular, the acceding states. We wish to see a European Union that meets the needs and expectations of its peoples in an effective and responsive way and in which the institutions are made more open and accessible. The European Union is a union of states and peoples, and any new arrangements must continue to reflect this dual nature.