Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I remind members, delegates and those in the Visitors Gallery to ensure their mobile phones are switched off completely for the duration of the meeting as they cause interference, even in silent mode, with the recording equipment in the committee rooms. This is particularly important because the meeting is being broadcast live.

The subject matter of the meeting is important; it is one that has been ongoing since the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, namely, the transatlantic trade and investment partnership agreement, better known as the TTIP, the discussions on which are ongoing. One year ago the Trade Council of the European Union agreed to formally launch negotiations with the United States on the TTIP and in the intervening period a number of rounds of talks have taken place. The joint committee has been involved to the extent that we met the then president of the Irish Farmers Association last October. Today we are meeting representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland. I welcome its new CEO, Mr. Mark Redmond, as well as Mr. Brian Cotter, its public affairs director. The format of the meeting is that we will hear a presentation by Mr. Redmond which will be followed by a question and answer session with committee members. I am delighted to see so many of them present for the presentation and I am sure they all regard this issue as being extremely important. If there is a successful outcome, I hope it will lead to the creation of extra jobs in the country. I call on Mr. Redmond to make his presentation.