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

Apologies have been received from Deputy Anne Ferris. The members are welcome to today's meeting, the purpose of which is to receive a briefing from the Department of Defence on the six monthly reports on developments in the EU from January to June 2012 and from July to December 2012, copies of which have been circulated to members. I welcome Mr. Michael Howard, Secretary General at the Department of Defence, and his colleagues, Mr. Ciarán Murphy, assistant secretary, and Ms Teresa Sydenham, principal officer. Mr. Howard will make an opening statement, to be followed by a question and answer session. I ask everybody to turn off mobile phones completely because they interfere with the sound system.