Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Dia daoibh go léir agus fáilte romhaibh. I have received apologies from Senator Chris Andrews who is dealing with a matter in the Seanad. As this is the first meeting, I am obliged to make the following declaration in accordance with Standing Order 113(4):

Dearbhaím go sollúnta go ndéanfaidh mé, go cuí agus go dílis agus a mhéid is eol agus is cumas dom, oifig Chathaoirleach an Chomhchoiste um Ghnóthaí an Aontais Eorpaigh a fheidhmiú gan scáth gan fabhar, na rialacha mar atá siad leagtha síos ag an Teach seo a chur i bhfeidhm go cothrom neamhchlaonta, ord a choimeád agus cearta agus pribhléidí comhaltaí a chaomhnú de réir an Bhunreachta agus na mBuan-Orduithe.

I welcome you all to the first meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs of the Thirty-fourth Dáil and the Twenty-seventh Seanad.

I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they 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 identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, I will direct them to discontinue their remarks and it is imperative they comply with any such direction.

I remind members of the constitutional requirement that to participate in public meetings, they must be physically present in the place where the Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, the Leinster House complex. Therefore, members of the committee attending remotely must do so from within the precincts of Leinster House. In this regard, I ask any member participating via MS Teams that, prior to making their contribution to the meeting, they confirm they are on the grounds of the Leinster House campus.

Is cúis áthais agus onóra dom a bheith ceaptha mar Chathaoirleach an chomhchoiste. Tá mé ag tnúth le bheith ag obair leis na comhaltaí go léir i bhfíorspiorad comhpháirtíochta agus chomhoibrithe agus muid ag tabhairt aghaidh ar na réimsí polasaithe agus ábhar atá faoinár sainchúram. Tá ról lárnach ag an gcoiste seo maidir le heolas a chur ar dhíospóireacht chaidreamh na hÉireann leis an Aontas Eorpach. Is é an ról atá againn ná forbairtí agus tionscnaimh thábhachtacha an Aontais Eorpaigh a bhaineann le hÉirinn a bhreithniú; a chinntiú go ndéanfar grinnscrúdú ceart ar reachtaíocht agus tograí an Aontais Eorpaigh; agus an Rialtas a choinneáil chuntasach maidir le caidreamh na hÉireann leis an Eoraip. Chomh maith le bheith i dteagmháil go díreach le hinstitiúidí an Aontais Eorpaigh agus le príomhpháirtithe leasmhara, beidh deis ag an gcoiste seo dul i ngleic go déthaobhach le coistí agus parlaiminteoirí eile ó bhallstáit an Aontais Eorpaigh eile chun faireachán a dhéanamh ar threo polaitiúil agus straitéis an Aontais Eorpaigh ina iomláine agus tionchar a imirt air.

An bhfuil éinne ag iarraidh teacht isteach air sin? Does anybody want to come in at this stage on these opening remarks?