If nobody had tried to block a more achievable IR, we would have had it decades ago, because this debate has been running for many more years than I've been flying, and the IR has got harder at each regulatory overview (except little bits in recent years, with the removal of jet-related questions from the PPL/IRexams).
However, I don't recall meeting a private pilot with an IR who thinks the IR should be hard or harder to get. The issues seem to exist higher up, in the
- National CAAs (i.e. retired commercial pilots, retired military)
- ATC
- unions for the above
The real basic problem in Europe is that the tag "professional pilot" has been nailed to the IR, when it should have been nailed to the ATPL which is how the USA has done it. So there is a massive emotional / professional-status attachment to keeping the IR hard to get. This is gradually easing but IMHO one would be a fool to consider the job done and put any personal plans on hold.