These judgments are the latest milestones in a series of interrelated legal actions initiated by the Government in June 2001 but whose genesis dates back much further. Those with a long-standing interest in Sellafield matters will recall that it was a Fianna Fáil Government which originally considered taking a legal case against the plant as far back as 1994, when the option of taking action under the then Paris Convention was considered. It was decided at the time not to proceed with action under this convention as its provisions were not considered sufficiently robust in their prohibition of radioactive discharges to provide an appropriate basis for action in this regard. However, legal action remained an option open to the Government, and our approach was subject to continual review. Ratification by Ireland and the United Kingdom of both the OSPAR and the UNCLOS Conventions provided a stronger legal framework in which to act. Our concerns heightened with the development of the Sellafield MOX plant.