Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will be slightly cheeky and inform the Leas-Cheann Comhairle in respect of the previous question that the business cases are due to be completed by quarter 3. I had that information that I wished to share.

Pretty much everything Deputy Conway-Walsh said is a statement of fact. I obviously cannot get ahead of the Government process. I said in November that I was directing my Department to prepare a submission for me to bring to the Government regarding Ireland's willingness to join CERN and an application to do so. That is where we are at now. My team are working on that with a view to my bringing it to Government in the second half of the year. If the Government decides to join CERN at that stage, it will initiate the process outlined by the Deputy, including a task force and the like. Her timelines sound logical to me. Of course, there will be a fee, the level of which is to be determined. That will need to be secured in the context of the Estimates process.

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