Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The sums of €600 million and €200 million are ballpark figures based on the Copenhagen estimate that it will increase our GDP by 0.2% between now and 2030. It is not possible to estimate the potential cost because then one has to start imagining cases that could be successful. One would have to imagine all cases of discrimination causing harm that could be successful that would get through the ICS but that would not have got through the national courts. To me, it is minimal or zero. To get compensation from the State, a company has to prove that it is being discriminated against and it has incurred losses as a result. It then gets compensation and that is the cost to the State. It also has to be proven that the company would not have achieved the same result had it gone through the national courts. One can imagine all sorts of scenarios where it would be different but they would be imagined. I do not see how it could calculate that.

I am advised by my officials that Cyprus has not notified its rejection. The negative parliamentary vote was about the halloumi cheese issue and geographical indicators. It is believed that can be resolved. No country has notified its rejection.