Dr. Fergal Lynch:

Ultimately, it is the Government. The Department would make recommendations to the Minister. The other component I need to stress is that the Attorney General has an important role in this in judging the legal perspective to ensure that Ireland is legally positioned to ratify the protocol. Ultimately, it is a matter on which the Minister would bring a decision to Government to seek its approval. There is a recognised process thereafter, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, where the instrument is formally ratified.