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

I remind members and those in the Visitors Gallery to ensure that for the duration of the meeting mobile phones are turned off completely or switched to airplane, safe or flight mode, depending on the device used. It is not sufficient to leave them in silent mode as it maintains a level of interference with the broadcasting and recording systems.

Today we will consider a motion referred to the select committee by Dáil Éireann on Ireland's participation in a European Defence Agency project related to military search capability building, pursuant to section 2 of the Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009. I welcome the Minister of State with responsibility for defence, Deputy Kehoe, and his officials. We thank them for sending the briefing material prior to the meeting. We will hear an opening presentation by the Minister of State which will be followed by questions from members. I remind them of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or body outside the House or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.