Mr. Martin Fraser:

I had a general but also confidential conversation with the CMO at the end of February. I actually discussed it with him to make sure Taoiseach knew before there was any public announcement. In the event, the Taoiseach probably did know, but not the details, no more than I did. There is no formal process and in the particular circumstances I did not see the Taoiseach for quite a while during March; that was nobody's fault.