Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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We will wait a moment while we ask members of the public to join us. I welcome our guests in the Visitors Gallery. I remind those present to switch off their mobile telephones. It is not sufficient to put them on silent; they need to be switched off so that they do not interfere with the recording equipment. This meeting is being broadcast live today. I therefore ask those present to check their telephones now and to turn them off. We have received apologies from Deputies Seán Crowe, John Halligan and Seán Kyne.

I am delighted to welcome Commissioner Cecilia Malmström to our meeting today. Members will be aware that the European Commission, on behalf of EU member states, is negotiating a new trade and investment agreement with the United States of America, namely, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement, commonly referred to as TTIP. TTIP is designed to drive growth and create jobs in both jurisdictions by making it easier to buy and sell goods and services between the US and the EU. Members of the committee present here today will remember that we looked at this issue last year. I can tell members of other committees joining us today that last June we had a number of meetings on TTIP with various guests, academics and politicians.

On the back of that, we produced a direct political contribution to the EU Commission on the issue, which was sent to it last July. I am delighted to say that nine months later, we received a reply to it this morning. It may be late but it is always good to get one.

One of the points we raised in our submission was that we need to see greater dialogue between national Parliaments and the EU Commission, so I am glad Commissioner Cecilia Malmström is here today and that we received a response to our political contribution. Some of the points we raised have been picked up. For instance, we were keen to see something in regard to mixed agreements where national Parliaments have the right to vote on this. I am glad Maroš Šefovi, Vice-President of the EU Commission, responded by saying it is likely TTIP will also be considered by the Council as a mixed agreement. That is very positive.

As many members will know, the Commissioner was in Dublin this morning to talk about TTIP and the ongoing negotiations, which is very important for us. We thought it was vital that the public was kept up to date and informed of the ongoing negotiations. There is some positive news in regard to how the EU Commission is dealing with this.

Since we sent in the report last July, there was a change in the EU Commission and we now have a new Commission. I am very pleased the Commissioner for Trade, Cecilia Malmström, has joined us today. I welcome other Members of the House and Members of the European Parliament, including Lynn Boylan, MEP, and Matt Carthy, MEP, from Sinn Féin. We are also joined by members of other committees, including the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Andrew Doyle, and the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, who are all very welcome.

Before we begin, I remind all members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not make charges, criticise or comment on a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not criticise or make charges against a person, persons or an entity outside this House by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

Having said all that, I invite the Commissioner to speak.