Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

First of all, the issue of external trade policy and controls is an EU competence rather than a national one. The issue of how we vote at the UN is a national one. Ultimately, it is a decision for us as a State.

Second, at a practical level, any step that is taken needs to be effective. Clearly, the whole purpose of what we are trying to do is to give clout to the EU position, which was adopted in May. It clearly makes more sense that we do that on a common EU basis rather than on an individual, national basis. I do not have the details of individual cases here but the European Court of Justice has very narrowly interpreted the public policy exemption.