Members will notice that a different person is sitting beside me at the top table this afternoon. I welcome our new clerk, Mr. Noel Murphy, and look forward to working with him during the next year. Noel has joined us from the Questions Office and has tremendous experience in the Oireachtas. I have no doubt that he will be active in his new role as clerk to the committee. We wish him well in his new role.

I would like to say goodbye to our former clerk, Mr. Brian Hickey, who has served as clerk for the past 18 months. Brian has been a very dedicated, conscientious, hard-working clerk and will be missed. This is our fifth clerk but the good thing is that they have all left to take up higher office. Obviously their experience sets the agenda for higher office. We wish Brian well in his new role as head of the IT section. This is a very important role.