I wish to point out another interesting dimension to this debate, to which my friend and colleague, Senator Ormonde, will testify. It arises from our being privileged to be present at the last plenary session of the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body, to which Senator Ryan also referred as he was also present. We had a debate on a European matter and it was interesting to hear the differing views. Coming from a position where we in Ireland would be very strong Europeans and we would take as given the benefits to which Senator Quinn referred, which are there for all to see, it was an interesting experience – I am sure Senator Ormonde would agree – to hear the differing views of regional representatives. The representatives from the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly were pro-Europe. They saw the future for their regions of the United Kingdom as being within Europe and there being a possibility of establishing their own identity within a European family. However, our English colleagues were extremely sceptical. This cut across the Labour, Tory and Liberal Democrat Parties, all of which were represented. It was difficult to get a consensus, but one view that struck me was that expressed by Harry Barnes, a long serving member of the body and of the House of Commons, who was sceptical of the entire European experience because he said there was no accountability or transparency. This goes to the core of the argument on Europe in the United Kingdom because of the sovereignty of parliament. We have managed to get the message across that not only have we ceded some sovereignty but by pooling our sovereignty we have gained enormous benefits. I said to my UK parliamentary colleagues that, as a person who travels within the European family as a parliamentarian, it mystifies me why the UK is not where it should be, having regard to its size, tradition and influence, at the heart of Europe rather than being on the outside. It is vital for us that the United Kingdom, our closest neighbour, whose people share a common language, which is a large trading partner and with which we have so much in common, is more at the heart of Europe. I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, would agree with that. In fairness to the Blair Government, Prime Minister Blair has set out his stall in that regard. There are undercurrents within our near neighbour, notwithstanding the wonderful work of the convention. Margaret Ewing, the MLA for Scotland who is well known to us here, said she had to read the Irish newspapers to find out what was going on in Europe because she found no information in the United Kingdom newspapers other than what she would read in the tabloids where there was the "tabloidisation" of the old chestnut of some anonymous bureaucrat in the Commission deciding on the size of the English sausage.