Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That concludes the consideration of the Supplementary Estimate for Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine for the year ended 31 December 2014 and in accordance with Standing Order 87, a message to that effect will be sent to the Acting Clerk of the Dáil.

Before we conclude, this will be the last meeting before Christmas that the Minister will attend. With the approval of the committee, I would like to convey our gratitude to his Secretary General, Mr. Tom Moran, who will retire at the end of the year and will not appear before the committee again. We thank him for his contribution to the agriculture sector and his co-operation with this committee. Mr. Philip Carroll is also retiring at the end of the year and I would like to acknowledge his contribution to the agriculture sector down the years. He has been one of the most accomplished and experienced public officials I have ever come across.

It would be remiss of this committee not to acknowledge the contributions of both gentlemen over the years, in times of crisis and in difficult negotiations. It is a matter of public record that Mr. Moran never took his eye off the ball during the critical CAP negotiations, despite the fact he was undergoing medical procedures at the time. It would be remiss of the committee not to record that. I propose we send a note of appreciation to both gentlemen. Is that agreed? Agreed.