Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would like to warmly welcome the ambassador of the Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Paul Schellekens. He joined the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1977, ten years after I was born. I read your curriculum vitae to date, ambassador, and it is most impressive. Thank you sincerely for coming before the committee today.

The UK decision to leave the European Union, the negotiations that will take place to effect that decision and the associated consequences for Ireland and the European Union are of immense importance and interest to this committee. We are particularly interested in understanding the positions, priorities and concerns of all our European partners in this process. It is our intention to engage with as many of them as we can. We are beginning this engagement with the current members of the Presidency of the EU Council Trio. We will hear from the Netherlands and the Slovak Republic today and from Malta in early December.

It is important that we begin to understand not only the implications for Ireland but those of our partners as well. On behalf of the committee I am delighted to welcome the two ambassadors. The Slovak ambassador, H.E. Mr. Dušan Matulay, has just arrived. You and your colleagues are very welcome, ambassador.