Ireland’s ratification of the Antarctic treaty has been raised on several occasions with both the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Taoiseach. More than 40 countries have signed up to the Antarctic Treaty System. The Government cannot claim to be very strong on matters environmental. In a recent response from the Tánaiste-----

Fianna Fáil took a man out of Antarctica today.

Siberia, more like.

-----he stated that the administrative costs associated with signing the treaty would be problematic. I have tabled parliamentary questions to various Departments on this, only to be informed that no cost-benefit analysis was carried out.

Where are we going here?

I was just wondering-----

We do not wonder on the Order of Business. We ask questions.

Is it about the South Pole Bill?