Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The committee is working on a report on the 50th anniversary of Ireland's membership of the European Community. It is not to say all is well but to look with accurate glasses over the past 50 years and to bring in people who will share with us their lived experiences of that. I hope we will present a report that will help us to prepare better for the next 50 years of membership.

Today, we are privileged to have two exemplary guests. First, we have Mr. Rory Montgomery. I have had the pleasure of working in government with Rory. I know him to be an exemplary public servant who has given remarkable service to this country. We talk about the scale of our foreign service in comparison with others. Certainly, on a person-per-person basis our impact has been extraordinary. Rory has served as Ireland's permanent representative to the EU institutions and as second Secretary General in the office of the Department of the Taoiseach, with responsibility for EU affairs. We look forward to hearing from Rory.

We are also joined online by Tony Connelly, RTÉ's Europe editor. He is extraordinarily well-connected with all that happens in the European institutions. I hope it will not embarrass him when I say that in one of our interactions in Westminster, a Member of the Westminster Parliament said that he gets his most authoritative news on what is going on in Brussels by tuning into Tony Connelly. I think that underscores the level of real understanding of the minutiae of what is going on in real time that is provided by Tony. He is another extraordinary helpful voice in our deliberations.

I have been reminded to read the note on privilege. I am sorry to have to go through the technicality, but all witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that one should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name in such a way as to make him or her identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of any person. Therefore, if a statement is potentially defamatory - and I know they are not - in relation to any identifiable person or entity the witness will be directed to discontinue his or her remarks and must comply with that direction. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on or make charges against a person outside of the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that members participating must be physically present on the campus of Leinster House. That said, I invite Rory to make his opening statement.