Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

All mobile phones should be switched off as they cause interference, even if left in silent mode, with the recording equipment in the committee rooms.

The purpose of the meeting is to consider the following motion which was referred to the select committee by Dáil Éireann on 18 October 2016:

That Dáil Éireann approves the participation by Ireland in two European Defence Agency Projects - (1) MARSUR Networking – Adaptive Phase (MARSUR II) and (2) Cooperation on Cyber Ranges in the European Union pursuant to section 2 of the Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Paul Kehoe, and his officials. I invite the Minister of State to make his opening statement.