Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I remind guests, Members of the Houses and those in the Gallery that they must turn off their mobile telephones. It is not sufficient to leave them in silent mode. They must be switched off or they will interfere with the recording equipment. I ask everybody to check their telephones and turn them off.

Apologies have been received from Deputies Seán Crowe and Dara Murphy. The first item on the agenda is a discussion on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's review of foreign policy and external relations. On behalf of the joint committee, I am delighted to welcome our guests, Mr. Tony Connelly, RTE Europe editor, Proinsias De Rossa, former MEP, Deputy and Minister, and Dr. John O'Brennan from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has undertaken a review of Ireland's foreign policy. The closing date for submissions is midnight tonight and we will make a submission in advance of the deadline. The review will examine how Ireland will gain maximum benefit from the resources it commits to international engagements in a rapidly changing world. As a committee, we are examining the effectiveness of Ireland's engagement with the Council, including the central role of the permanent representative in Brussels whom some of us met a couple of weeks ago. We are also examining other issues such as bilateral engagement with member states, relations with the European Commission and relations with the European Parliament.

Today's meeting is an opportunity to hear three very distinct voices on these issues. Mr. Tony Connelly from RTE has been based in Brussels since 2001, in effect, for the past 13 years. He has reported comprehensively on the evolving relationship between Ireland and the European Union. Boasting a distinguished parliamentary career as a Minister, Deputy and MEP, Proinsias De Rossa, has a valuable perspective on how Ireland's influence within the European institutions can be both safeguarded and enhanced. Dr. John O'Brennan lectures on European politics at NUI, Maynooth, where he is also director of the centre for the study of wider Europe.

His research interests span EU enlargement, Ireland's experience of European integration and the fallout from the eurozone crisis which continues to complicate EU politics.
Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that members should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give this committee. If they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. Witnesses are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise nor make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Our first guest today is Mr. Proinsias De Rossa.