The idea that we would have to pay off X to protect the children of this country is simply the latest scare story about CETA. It is unbecoming of the debate to start going into this. By stating that, Deputy Gibney has completely ignored the terms of CETA, the joint interpretative instrument and the fact that there are no precedents for this investor court system she can rely on because it is not in existence yet. The safeguards are in place. The agreement is there to enhance our economies, and it has done that. If …

I attended the informal General Affairs Council in Lefkosi, Nicosia, in Cyprus on 11 May. Hybrid threats, of course, including foreign information manipulation and interference, FIMI, represent a serious political and security challenge for the EU and our partners. Ireland continues to work together with our EU counterparts to counter such activities. The work includes implementation of the EU’s hybrid, cyber and foreign information manipulation and interference toolboxes. Together, these provide a range of measure…

The Government is committed to delivering a successful Presidency. We continue to engage closely with EU partners and An Garda Síochána as the preparations accelerate. The scale and significance of Presidency events that are planned to take place in Ireland mean that unprecedented security considerations arise, certainly for the European political community meeting. That will be the largest ever meeting of its type in Ireland. The security arrangements that will be put in place will reflect the wider backdrop of a …

The Deputy is certainly not wrong. I agree with him. There is huge potential for people to be influenced in an unwitting way in most cases. The test that I always try and put forward is what is in the best interest of this country, not what is in the best interest of a particular ideology. Counter-drone capability will be very important for events during the Presidency. As the Deputy said, the airport was closed in Denmark during some of their major meetings because of drone activity. Lithuania takes the Presidency…

That is not true.

No.

Senator McDowell does not agree with the Senator on that.

That is the only thing the Senator is right about.

I am here.

I will try to deal with the various points that were raised. Senator Collins made the mistake that Senator McDowell made on Second Stage, which is to assume that the position started with the decision of Mr. Justice Charleton. The Senator makes worthy points, but when you are talking about constitutional law and trying to interpret the Supreme Court, you do not start with the dissent; you start with the majority. I wrote down the various points that Senator McDowell made about this Supreme Court judgment. I never i…

That is no problem.

The advice says that is not necessary because execution of awards is a national matter and under the-----

I have given an answer.

I have given the answer. It is not necessary.

Whenever the Leas-Chathaoirleach wants.

There is no intention to-----

I have not complained. I am just doing my job.

That was said in the context of CETA being reckless and dystopian. I never said he was infallible.

The Senator did not, but others did.

As regards some of the points Senator McDowell raised, first, he mentioned the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. It reminds me of the Vienna Convention on diplomacy, which is relevant to a point made earlier by Senator Higgins, who suggested that the Villa Spada might be at risk. That is not the case. It could not possibly be the case. Senator McDowell also urged anybody here to contradict Mr. Justice Charleton. Mr. Justice Charleton was in the minority of the Supreme Court, so the majority clearly by defau…