John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Greetings everyone. The world is moving fast. There have been elections and trade deals and all sorts of thing happening around the globe since we met just a few days ago.

I advise members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit members to participate where they are not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, a member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting. In this regard, I ask members participating via MS Teams that, prior to making their contributions to the meeting, they confirm that they are on the grounds of the Leinster House complex.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue your remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

The first item on the agenda is the nomination for Leas-Chathaoirleach. As agreed at the first meeting of the committee, nominations for the position of Leas-Chathaoirleach where received. Those are, in the order they were received, Senator Garret Ahearn and Deputy Cathy Bennett. We will consider the nominations in the order they were received. We can do this by way of normal protocol or we can go into private session to have a conversation about it. Is it agreed we use normal protocol? Agreed.

I will put the question on the first nominee, that Senator Garret Ahearn be elected Leas-Chathaoirleach. Is that agreed? Not agreed.