Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, and his officials to this meeting. The Tánaiste has had a busy number of days since he was invited to report on the regular meetings of the EU Foreign Affairs Council. Recent events in Ukraine resulted in his having to travel to Brussels yesterday to take part in an emergency meeting of the Council. We have heard the media's accounts of the outcome of that meeting, but the Tánaiste's attendance here is particularly timely, given his attendance at yesterday's meeting in Brussels and other recent meetings. He is very welcome and I now call on him to address the joint committee.

When the time comes for questions, I will ask members to keep their contributions sharp, short and to the point. We will try to bring the meeting to a satisfactory conclusion as quickly as possible.