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

I welcome today's speakers and the stakeholders who are present. I welcome, in particular, Ms Jemma Doyle and her class from Cullina national school in Beaufort who are taking part in the Blue Star programme which helps students to understand the European Union better. All of the students in Ms Doyle's class are leading efforts in their school to understand the European Union better and this is the first year the school has taken part in the programme. I have been to it in the recent past and seen how hard all of the students are working on projects to understand the European Union and its member states better. As the class have been watching the work of the joint committee by live stream, we are particularly pleased that they have come to see it in reality. As it is important for all of us to understand and engage with the European Union, we are delighted that they are here. The students were in the Dáil Chamber earlier and given a whirlwind tour of Leinster House, despite the ongoing works.