Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We move to the work programme. The engagement schedule to year end is as follows. Next week we will engage with the regulator of the national lottery. The following week, on 1 December, we will have two public engagements. In the morning we will meet representatives from the Department of Social Protection, with whom members may wish to revisit the issue of categorisation of employees. In the afternoon session we will meet with the operator of the national lottery. On 8 December, we will meet with the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. The final engagement of this year, before members go off for Christmas, will be with the Office of Public Works. We have also agreed to engage with An Bord Pleanála in the new year. Do members wish to raise any matters about the work programme? I ask members to be mindful that we do not want to come to the year's end without having some idea of the schedule for January. Since Covid, we have been trying to work a system of providing details a minimum of six or seven weeks out. It gives the clerk to the committee and potential witnesses a chance to align their diaries so that people are available to come before the committee. Next week, I propose we look at the programme of work for December and January. Is that agreed? Agreed. It is the committee's prerogative to set the agenda and I am anxious we do so. I have a couple of issues I wish to include.

The final item on the public agenda is any other business. Do members wish to raise any other matter? We will briefly go into private session before adjourning until 9.30 a.m. next Thursday, 24 November, when we will engage with the national lottery.