Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I also welcome the Minister of State. I am proud that Deputy Roche will lead the campaign for this referendum. He is very knowledgeable and has had the experience of being involved in the intergovernmental convention. His worldview in this area is extensive and he has a great feel for the subject. I have no doubt that with the Minister of State leading the referendum, the outcome will be successful.

As many of the speakers have indicated, however, there are problems. I was interested to hear Senator Quinn speculating as to whether it should be called the reform treaty or the Lisbon Treaty. I had the same problem, and I am glad that it will now be known as the Reform Treaty.

The European Union needs this reform treaty so it can meet internal and external upcoming challenges. The EU must function efficiently and effectively to promote peace and prosperity. We must also ensure the EU can act in a manner commensurate with its economic weight and contribute to global issues such as the fight against poverty, climate change and underdevelopment. The reform treaty will provide the EU with the means to meet these challenges. It will bring to an end the debate on institutional reform which has dogged the EU for so long and allow it to focus on being efficiently and effectively at the service of its citizens.

Ireland is pleased with the mandate for the reform treaty which was agreed in June and has been signed in Lisbon. Our aim is to protect the substance of the 2004 constitution and we have succeeded in doing so. Only relatively modest changes have taken place. The structure has changed and we no longer have a single text but an extensive series of amendments to the existing EU treaties.

A new reform treaty provision will deal with the need to combat climate change. I am glad this was introduced at Ireland's behest. This is the first time this issue will be covered in an EU treaty. We are entering the final stages of the intergovernmental conference and member states have respected the mandate agreed by the European Council in June.

I am particularly pleased the institutional package with regard to voting rights was agreed. The new system of double majority voting will give proportionate weight to population while protecting the interests of small and medium sized member states. We have also succeeded in ensuring that all member states will have equal access to membership of the EU Commission. The enhanced role for the European Parliament will further strengthen the democratic character of EU legislation.

I would like further clarification on these points because while I might understand it I wonder whether the public will understand the significance of this change and how it will impact on smaller member states. This is an important issue but people do not debate it. People will be happy to debate other issues with which they are at ease but I do not believe people will understand this issue. How will we be able to remove the jargon and bring it down to what it will mean for smaller states? I understand it and it is a good move. However, during the referendum campaign we must explain this to the public in ordinary everyday language.

We are satisfied the legal standing of the charter of fundamental rights has been confirmed and a treaty article will assert its legal status. Ireland strongly supports the charter as an important statement of our values as a Union and of the rights of our citizens in their dealings with the EU. We examined the UK protocol on the charter but we should not adhere to it as we have a strong commitment to the charter.

The reform treaty provides for a strengthened "yellow card" for national Parliaments with regard to draft legislation. It extends the period during which national Parliaments can respond to a Commission proposal and puts a greater onus on the Commission to take on board the views of national Parliaments. This will strengthen the role of national Parliaments in the EU without distorting the agreed institutional balance.

I listened carefully to what Senator Quinn stated on the role of subsidiarity and proportionality. These are horrible words. I remember I found the jargon too much for me when discussing these matters at meetings of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs and this is another aspect of the matter.

The subsidiarity clause is excellent because it gives national Parliaments the space to decide what they want for their countries and how they will make their decisions. Only when it must be moved on to the European Parliament will it do so. Proportionality means the European Commission should not interfere with how we regulate our affairs. This must be driven home. A fear exists that Europe has taken over and that we are becoming subservient to the European Union. This worries me and it is a key issue.

Senator Quinn also referred to this matter which we discussed at length in a recent session of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs when the intergovernmental convention was on the agenda. The Minister of State was well aware of this and these clauses were inserted so Ireland will hold on to control of its own affairs. It is extremely important to include proportionality and subsidiarity as I would hate to think we are building a federation.

The referendum is the next stage and we must decide on it when the date has been set. We have long experience of ratifying European treaties by referendum and our track record is good. However, the first referendum on the Nice Treaty taught us a salutary lesson, namely, that we have no room for complacency. This treaty is highly complex and will take a great deal of explaining to the electorate. The public appreciates Europe's importance to Ireland and the role Ireland plays within the EU. This is reflected in the results of Eurobarometer surveys in which the Irish public is consistently among the most positive in Europe with regard to the advantages of EU membership.

We must play a role in this and get out and link in with the public. We have a fine record within the EU and we must deliver this treaty to the public and have another successful referendum.