Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I remind members, witnesses and guests in the Gallery that they must ensure their mobile phones are switched off. It is important because the broadcasting equipment will be seriously affected by any telephones which are on.

The first item on our agenda today is a discussion on the forthcoming General Affairs Council meeting. On behalf of the committee, I welcome our new policy clerk, Fiona Cashin, who joins us having taken over from Conor Gouldsbury, who has gone back to college. Fiona is very welcome to the committee.

Also on behalf of the committee, I welcome the new Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Dara Murphy. The Minister of State was for a time a member of this committee and served as Vice Chairman. In my tenure as Chairman, I have seen the departure of not just one, but two vice chairmen. To lose one is a misfortune, but to lose two is an education. The lesson is that if one wants to get on in this world, become the Vice Chairman of this committee. We do not have a Vice Chairman as yet as one has not been appointed. I ask my colleagues in Fine Gael to ensure we get one as soon as possible to allow for the correct and proper functioning of the committee. If they could bring that back, I would appreciate it.