Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I appreciate that the Minister of State is under pressure in terms of time and I do not propose to delay him unduly. As the work of the Convention nears its conclusion, I join him in thanking everybody for their efforts to date. I thank the Minister of State for bringing energy, commitment and passion to this job, the results of which, it is to be hoped, will be fruitful.

As the Convention concludes, the agenda will pass on to the Intergovernmental Conference. However, a firm foundation has been laid down by the Minister of State and his colleagues. The Irish team has done an excellent job and should be congratulated. I thank Deputy Bruton, Proinsias De Rossa, MEP, Deputies Carey and Gormley and others on a job well done. This is an example of how well an Irish team can work for the country abroad. It causes one to reflect that if we could get our politicians in Leinster House to work as closely and effectively on domestic matters – such as health and education – and if we worked towards a common agenda, we would have a much better country.

I am pleased that, judging from the most recent drafts of the Convention's work, we have secured major concessions during the negotiations on a new EU constitution and treaty. It is important that this success be fully explained and transmitted to the public because we will again call on it in the near future to vote for the next European Union treaty. After the difficulties we had with the two votes on Nice, we must recognise, politically, that while the Irish voter is well disposed to the European project, there is no automatic right to have any EU treaty passed by the Irish public in a referendum. The Government will have to keep the public abreast of the progress of an EU constitution and keep the issues involved on the public agenda.

I do not want to be too party political, but it is inevitable that when we come to vote on the new EU treaty, the country may not see the Government parties shining at their brightest in terms of domestic matters. In the midst of the political ebb and flow, it may not be the best time for the Government. It will be important at that stage, as it was in the second Nice treaty referendum, that the main Opposition parties, particularly my party, Fine Gael, with its long and proud tradition of support for the European ideal, will play a leading role in the campaign.