Mr. Conor O'Neill:

Just to clarify, the fundamental question is exactly the same for both goods and services. It is whether an individual member state can divert from the common standard that is an exclusive competency of the EU. We have argued the same question of public policy cuts across both. The more conservative position announced by the Department is that public policy is sufficient to justify a ban on goods but not on services. Russia was different in that in that instance, it was not an individual member state doing that. It was, correctly, within months of the occupation in 2014, the entire European Union doing it together. As regards enforcement, it is ultimately still the member states that have to make sure that is happening. The Irish State has a responsibility to enforce that in Ireland and ensure citizens here are not involved in the prohibited activity.