Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Absolutely not. This was approved by the Government in November but, as there is a financial cost involved, it must get the consent of the Oireachtas before I can have it ratified. Technically, it will be ratified by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. It could be debated in the Dáil but the procedure up to now in regard to the Paris Agreement, for example, was to refer it to relevant committee, have the committee deal with the detail and then have it go back to the Dáil for formal approval. That is the mechanism. It also has to go before the Seanad, and I think I will be discussing it there next week. It will then go back to the Dáil. If it is approved by both Houses, we will be in a position to ratify it. I would like to be able to tell my Canadian counterparts, who have been pushing this, that we have ratified it in advance of my visit to Toronto on 8 March to 10 March.