Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I remind members, visitors and those in the Visitors Gallery to, please, ensure their mobile phones are switched off for the duration of the meeting, as they interfere with the broadcasting equipment, even when in silent mode.

We will hear a briefing by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, on the credit guarantee scheme and an update on the joint committee's south-east economic development strategy, SEEDS, report. I welcome the Minister and his officials. A briefing document has been supplied to all members. I now invite the Minister to address the committee.