Mr. Hugh Lovatt:

Perhaps the Deputy would allow me to make a more general point. Beyond the individual responsibility of companies the core question is how third states transpose international rules-based requirements when it comes to the practices of their domiciled businesses. Domiciled businesses must first and foremost respect the law of the country in which they are domiciled. The question, therefore, is how the Irish Government and authorities would regulate the practices and behaviour of businesses. This is a bigger point.

There are different ways to do this and enhanced due diligence and reporting requirements could be one way. We could also look at supply chains. Another possibility, which we have seen the Dutch Government pursuing, is a more proactive engagement with its companies. Short of banning business relations with settlements, a government could at the very least actively provide advice or even seek to dissuade domiciled companies from engaging in business practices that are at risk of entangling them in internationally unlawful activities. It is something the Irish Government could be more proactive in doing.