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

I welcome the Minister of State at the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Defence, Deputy Peter Burke, to our rather belated meeting of the committee. We are keen to facilitate him and his officials. The Bill was referred to the committee on 15 February. We wish the Minister of State well in his new portfolio and assure him of the full co-operation of the committee in the context of the relationship between the Legislature and the Executive. We look forward to engaging with him, over the course of his tenure, on matters pertaining to the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Defence.

He might like to make a brief statement by way of outline.