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

I welcome members and guests. I have received apologies from Senator Joe O'Reilly. All persons present in the committee room are asked to exercise personal responsibility to protect themselves and others from the risk of contracting Covid-19.

I am pleased to welcome Lieutenant General Seán Clancy, Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, to discuss the work and priorities of the Defence Forces. He is joined by Brigadier General Rossa Mulcahy, assistant chief of staff; Colonel Caimin Keogh, director of the strategic planning branch; Colonel Rory Sheerin, director of the human resources branch; and Commandant Gemma Fagan, staff officer in the Chief of Staff division.

The format of the meeting will be the usual one.

We will hear an opening statement from the Chief of Staff, which will be followed by a session of questions and answers with the members of the committee. I ask members to be concise in their questions to allow all members the opportunity to participate. I hope members will have an opportunity to come in a second time, should they so desire, before the end of our meeting. I advise members that the Chief of Staff is not responsible for areas of policy. These areas will not be the subject matter of discussion. As we know, policy areas are within the remit of the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, who is a regular invitee and attendee at our committee. I welcome the Chief of Staff. This is our first opportunity to meet him since his appointment. I offer him the congratulations of the committee and its members on his appointment as Chief of Staff. We look forward to his opening statement.

We again offer the Chief of Staff our condolences and sympathy in memory of Private Seán Rooney, who was killed in action while on active service in Lebanon in December of last year. We once again convey our sympathies to the Chief of Staff and to Seán's colleagues.

I remind witnesses and members of the long-standing parliamentary practice that we should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it in any way identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of that person or entity. Therefore, if any statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, the speaker will be directed to discontinue his or her remarks. It is imperative that any such direction be complied with.

Obviously, we have been keeping a close eye on developments within the Defence Forces since the committee was inaugurated less than three years ago. We had the opportunity to take a number of field trips post Covid. These included trips to Haulbowline, Baldonnel and the Curragh. We have also engaged with members of the Commission on the Defence Forces, particularly the chairman, Aidan O'Driscoll. We have examined the report and its recommendations and look forward to meeting the implementation committee in due course. I now call Lieutenant General Clancy to make his opening statement, after which I will open the floor to members.