Clerk to the Committee:

The Chairman, Deputy John O'Mahony, is unable to attend and, as the joint committee does not currently have a Vice Chairman, I am taking the Chair. As we have a quorum of six members, including one Deputy and one Senator, I call the meeting to order. I advise members that they must turn their mobile telephones off when attending committee meetings. The first matter on the agenda is the election of the Acting Chairman. I call for nominations for the position of Acting Chairman of the joint committee.