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

Members are all very welcome back after the summer recess. It is great to be back with no screens, masks or any of that. While it is good to be back to some degree of normality, I urge everybody to be careful and to look after themselves.

It is great to see many of my colleagues and I thank them for their attendance. Apologies have been received from Senator Malcolm Byrne and Deputy Johnny Mythen who are unable to attend today's public session.

This meeting has been convened to discuss the final report of the Future of Media Commission with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin. I welcome the Minister and her officials and I remind her that her officials are not expected to speak in the public session. I advise that the opening statement and any other documentation submitted to the committee may be published on the committee website after the meeting.

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 or entity outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I also remind members of the constitutional requirement that members be physically present within the confines of Leinster House in order to participate in a public meeting. I cannot permit a member to attend where he or she does not adhere to that constitutional requirement. I ask members who may be joining this meeting today via Microsoft Teams to identify themselves when contributing for the benefit of the Debates Office staff preparing the Official Report and also to mute their microphones when not contributing so as to reduce the background noise. I remind all those joining today's meeting to ensure their mobile phones are on silent or, better still, switched off.

I invite the Minister to make her opening statement.