Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It would not be appropriate to comment on what the court may do in respect of adjudication on this matter. We have made it clear that we disagree with the Commission's assessment but while we disagree with its assessment and will defend ourselves in court, we will collect the money that the Commission says is due. We are in the final stages of a procurement process in respect of who will manage the escrow account relating to that money and I expect that the money the Commission believes should be due to Ireland will begin to flow into that account in the second quarter of this year. I will not comment on what the European court may say in adjudicating our claim. We disagree fundamentally with the Commission's assessment and, obviously, we will contest this in a court of European law.

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