Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Halford. We will now begin with members' questions. To clarify matters, we had a difference of opinion at the last committee meeting and the secretariat has made it clear to me that when a member is substituted, he or she has, on the day, exactly the same rights as a full member of the committee. We have had this in debates on fisheries where a number of members have been substituted so just to make it clear, once a person is substituted and I, as Chairman, am notified before the start of the meeting he or she is treated as a full member for that particular meeting.

I have five members indicating to speak and I will take them in the order they appear to me on the screen. I call Senator Mullen. He appears to on mute. We cannot hear him. I will move to the next member and come back to him after that to see if the issue has been resolved. I call Deputy Martin Browne.