Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Martin. I believe the Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Chambers, will join us shortly.

We have to approve the draft minutes of our last public and private committee meetings of 13 April. Is that agreed? Agreed. No matters arise. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We are delighted today to have the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin, with us today. At some point we will have the Minister of State, Deputy Jack Chambers, who has responsibility for sport and the Gaeltacht, to discuss key priorities for the Department.

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Martin, the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, and their officials to the meeting. They will be joining us remotely from committee room 4 and via Microsoft Teams. As the Minister and Minister of State are present, officials are asked not to speak in public session. I have some housekeeping rules to go through, so please bear with me before we get to the juicy part of the meeting and the statements from the Minister and Minister of State.

I advise witnesses that their opening statements and any other documents submitted to the committee may be published on its website after this meeting. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect 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 remind members again of the constitutional requirements that they must be physically present within the confines of the place where Parliament has chosen to sit, which is Leinster House, in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate where he or she does not adhere to the constitutional requirement. Any member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting. I also ask members to please identify themselves when contributing for the benefit of the Debates Office staff preparing the Official Report. I also ask Members to mute microphones when not contributing in order to reduce background noise and feedback. Members should use the appropriate button to indicate a raised hand when they wish to make a contribution and I remind everybody joining today's meeting to ensure their mobile phones are switched off or in silent mode.

I welcome our colleagues, Deputy Cathal Crowe and Senator Ollie Crowe, who are joining us today. I ask the Minister to make her statement.