Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I remind those present to please ensure their mobile phones are switched off, not just turned to silent mode. We have received apologies from Deputy Seán Crowe and Senator Terry Leyden.

The first item on the agenda today is a discussion of the priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency. On behalf of the committee I am delighted to welcome to our meeting today His Excellency Vidmantas Purlys, ambassador of Lithuania to Ireland. I thank him for coming to talk about the programme and priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Lithuania took over the Presidency at the start of this month at the end of our Presidency. Hosting the rotating Presidency is always demanding for member states, as we well know, particularly smaller ones. This is Lithuania's first Presidency since it joined the European Union nine years ago. It was our seventh Presidency. We very much look forward to Lithuania's Presidency. I have no doubt it will rise to the challenge. I was fortunate to attend the first event for members, the COSAC chairpersons' meeting, which took place on Sunday and Monday of this week. We had an excellent visit to the capital, Vilnius, and also to Trakai Castle. We had a very good, informative and robust session with the Lithuanian Commissioner for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration and the Vice President of the Commission, Maroš Šefčovič. We discussed the priorities of the Presidency but also political and economic union. It was a very useful event, which was very well chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the Seimas, Gediminas Kirkilas. Most people went away refreshed and assured that the Presidency would be successful.

Before we begin, I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that members should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I advise Mr. Purlys that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to the committee. If he is directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and he continues to do so, he will be entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of his evidence.

He is directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, he should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

I invite His Excellency Mr. Purlys to make his opening remarks.