A third key element of the institutional package proposed by the convention relates to the definition of a qualified majority in the Council of Ministers. It is proposed that a qualified majority would consist of a majority of member states representing more than 60% of the population. This is known as the 50-60 formula. While I would have been comfortable retaining the Nice voting weights, I can happily accept the convention text. The new proposals have the considerable advantage of greater simplicity and should also lead to greater efficiency in decision-making. In any case, Ireland's weight at the Council table has never been measured in terms of population. Instead, our success has been determined by our ability to build and maintain alliances and the force of our arguments. This will continue to be the case.