Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will now resume in public session. I remind members and witnesses to make sure that their mobile phones are turned off completely. In this final session of our meeting today we will deal with the forthcoming EU Council meeting on agriculture and fisheries to discuss the sea fisheries sustainability impact assessment. I welcome the Minister and his officials who are here to brief the committee in advance of the next agrifisheries EU Council meeting to discuss the above mentioned impact assessment.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I invite the Minister to make his opening statement now.