David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I remind all present to switch off all mobile phones as they interfere with the recording system even when in silent mode. The purpose of today's meeting is to discuss the following proposal, which was referred to the joint committee by the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach on 27 November:

That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure:a proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Decision No. 573/2007/EC, Decision No. 575/2007/EC and Council Decision 2007/435/EC with a view to increasing the co-financing rate of the European Refugee Fund, the European Return Fund and the European Fund for the Integration of third-country nationals as regards certain provisions relating to financial management for certain Member States experiencing or threatened with serious difficulties with respect to their financial stability,a copy of which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 16th October, 2012.

A briefing note has been circulated to members. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, and her officials to the meeting. The Minister of State will present a briefing to the committee and this will be followed by a question and answer session.