Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Deputy Áine Collins and Senator Feargal Quinn. I propose to postpone housekeeping matters until next week since the Minister is waiting outside. Before I invite in the Minister, do members have any questions to put to the EU policy clerk on any of the issues? No. Everyone got a briefing document on potential issues. Are members satisfied? Okay.

We will hear a briefing from the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, on the forthcoming meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs, ESPCO, Council, in Brussels on 9 December 2013. The Minister will brief the committee on the agenda and then members will have an opportunity to engage with the Minister. Later, we will discuss progress on the negotiations on the EU-US transatlantic trade and investment partnership agreement. I welcome the Minister and his officials, Mr. Paul Cullen and Mr. Dermot Sheridan.