Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 31 August 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence

Appointment of Special Envoys and Update on Afghanistan: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Stanton. I think it is timely, having regard to what Deputy Stanton said, that I should intervene on the basis that our meeting must come to a conclusion in about 25 minutes' time. A number of direct and serious questions have been put to the Minister for response. I am very keen that he has the opportunity to respond. I am conscious of the fact that I still see the hands of Deputies Brady, Gannon and Cowen and Senator Ardagh raised. We have not had a round of supplementary questions. Is it the view of members, in particular Deputies Brady, Cowen and Gannon and Senator Craughwell, that we should defer a consideration of Afghanistan until the earliest opportunity the Minister is available, having regard to the fact that might be some days away given his diary and the fact he has international commitments or should we cease this discussion and proceed with what will be a very limited discussion on the situation in Afghanistan in any event? Where do we stand? Should we proceed on this issue?

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