Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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I ask members and guests to turn off their mobile telephones. It is not sufficient to put them on silent mode. They must be switched off because otherwise they will interfere with the broadcasting equipment.

The first item on the agenda is an exchange of views with the European Union Affairs Committee of the Latvian Parliament. I am delighted to welcome a delegation from the Saeima, the Latvian Parliament. It comprises Mrs. Zanda Kalnina-Lukasevica, chairperson of the EU affairs committee, and Mr. Vjaceslavs Dombrovskis, chairperson of the economic, agricultural, environmental and regional policy committee. We are also joined by the Latvian Ambassador to Ireland, Mr. Peteris Karlis Elferts. You are all very welcome. The delegation is on a short visit to Ireland in advance of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in January 2013. During its visit to the Dáil and Seanad the delegation will also meet representatives from the agriculture and finance committees.

The purpose of the delegation's visit to Ireland is to gain an insight into the priorities of our forthcoming Presidency. Latvia has started the preparations for its Presidency which will happen in 2015. Issues of particular interest to the delegation are the EU budget, the position with the multi-annual financial framework, Cohesion Funds and the Common Agricultural Policy. The members of the delegation also wish to talk about the future of Europe and particularly the eurozone and the euro crisis. That is certainly something we would like to discuss. Latvia is still willing to join the euro at the end of 2014.

We look forward to a discussion on that. I would also like to discuss the youth guarantee and youth unemployment. I invite Mrs Zanda Kalnina-Lukasevica, chairman of the European affairs committee, to make her opening remarks.