Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Dia daoibh go léir agus fáilte romhaibh. I have received apologies from Senator Chris Andrews who is dealing with a matter in the Seanad. As this is the first meeting, I am obliged to make the following declaration in accordance with Standing Order 113(4):

Dearbhaím go sollúnta go ndéanfaidh mé, go cuí agus go dílis agus a mhéid is eol agus is cumas dom, oifig Chathaoirleach an Chomhchoiste um Ghnóthaí an Aontais Eorpaigh a fheidhmiú gan scáth gan fabhar, na rialacha mar atá siad leagtha síos ag an Teach seo a chur i bhfeidhm go cothrom neamhchlaonta, ord a choimeád agus cearta agus pribhléidí comhaltaí a chaomhnú de réir an Bhunreachta agus na mBuan-Orduithe.

I welcome you all to the first meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs of the Thirty-fourth Dáil and the Twenty-seventh Seanad.

I remind members 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 relation to an identifiable person or entity, I will direct them to discontinue their remarks and it is imperative they comply with any such direction.

I remind members of the constitutional requirement that to participate in public meetings, they must be physically present in the place where the Parliament has chosen to sit, namely, the Leinster House complex. Therefore, members of the committee attending remotely must do so from within the precincts of Leinster House. In this regard, I ask any member participating via MS Teams that, prior to making their contribution to the meeting, they confirm they are on the grounds of the Leinster House campus.

Is cúis áthais agus onóra dom a bheith ceaptha mar Chathaoirleach an chomhchoiste. Tá mé ag tnúth le bheith ag obair leis na comhaltaí go léir i bhfíorspiorad comhpháirtíochta agus chomhoibrithe agus muid ag tabhairt aghaidh ar na réimsí polasaithe agus ábhar atá faoinár sainchúram. Tá ról lárnach ag an gcoiste seo maidir le heolas a chur ar dhíospóireacht chaidreamh na hÉireann leis an Aontas Eorpach. Is é an ról atá againn ná forbairtí agus tionscnaimh thábhachtacha an Aontais Eorpaigh a bhaineann le hÉirinn a bhreithniú; a chinntiú go ndéanfar grinnscrúdú ceart ar reachtaíocht agus tograí an Aontais Eorpaigh; agus an Rialtas a choinneáil chuntasach maidir le caidreamh na hÉireann leis an Eoraip. Chomh maith le bheith i dteagmháil go díreach le hinstitiúidí an Aontais Eorpaigh agus le príomhpháirtithe leasmhara, beidh deis ag an gcoiste seo dul i ngleic go déthaobhach le coistí agus parlaiminteoirí eile ó bhallstáit an Aontais Eorpaigh eile chun faireachán a dhéanamh ar threo polaitiúil agus straitéis an Aontais Eorpaigh ina iomláine agus tionchar a imirt air.

An bhfuil éinne ag iarraidh teacht isteach air sin? Does anybody want to come in at this stage on these opening remarks?

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I wish you, Chair, well in your position. In the geopolitical climate we are in and with the upcoming Irish Presidency of the EU, I have no doubt it is going to be a busy committee and you are going to be a busy Chair. I have no doubt, having seen your capacity and capability prior to this, you will serve all of us with distinction and dignity. I wish you well in the term ahead.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Thanks very much.

Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael)
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I echo the comments of my colleague. I congratulate you, Chair, on your Chairmanship of this committee. It will undoubtedly be a very busy committee for the term ahead with the European Presidency next year. It is a very challenging time at a European level. It is vitally important that Ireland continues to play a strong role within the EU and continue to have an Irish voice heard. I am very much looking forward to the start of this committee and the job of work ahead.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Thank you.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Ádh mór ort agus comhghairdeachas. It goes without saying, we are in a world that is very much changing. We do not know exactly how things are going to work out regarding geopolitics. We obviously have a huge number of issues to deal with that have a huge impact here and internationally. I like to think we will be able to deal with a considerable number of issues and we can do it in a collegial fashion while everyone agrees with me on what we do.

Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fail)
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Comhghairdeas, a Chathaoirligh. You have a vast wealth of experience and I am sure you will be able to show that experience with this committee. It is quite an important committee at present with all the different challenges facing European countries at present.

Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I wish you, Chairman, the very best of good luck in your position. I have every faith in you. I know well that you are an experienced politician. We wish you the very best for the future. It will be a busy committee, there is no doubt about that.

Michael Murphy (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I congratulate you, Cathaoirleach. I am delighted and really looking forward to playing a productive and constructive role in this very important committee at a very exciting time as we prepare for the European Presidency this time next year. It is really important we realise maximum impact from the Presidency. We have a really important role to play in communicating the positive message of membership of the European Union. The Irish citizen, in general, sees our membership in a very positive light but I do not think we should take that for granted. That is something we will get deeper into in the next weeks and months. I congratulate you on your role.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Anyone else? There was a little more "kiss the ring" about that than I intend.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Comhghairdeas, a Chathaoirligh, as do phost nua. This is my first EU committee. I was on the education committee back in the day. Apologies for having to leave occasionally, like everyone else, for different events, votes, contributions, etc., and in advance, today, I have to head off at around 4 p.m.

This is a tumultuous time, not just in terms of the trade issues with the US but also the wars in Ukraine and Gaza where it seems the EU is beginning to finally wake up in terms of potentially looking at the trade agreement with Israel. There is a lot of stuff we can focus on and maybe assist in putting pressure, from an Irish perspective, on EU action in various areas and learn more about what is going on. I note we take over the Presidency next year. I presume, being new to this committee, we will be looking at the priorities of the incoming Danish Presidency in July in the first instance. I look forward to contributing in whatever way I can.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I wish you, Chair, well in the job. I think we all want to work together. There are huge challenges facing us in the months and years ahead, so I look forward to working with you all. We have a huge body of work ahead of us but I look forward to it.

Eoin Hayes (Dublin Bay South, Social Democrats)
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I am not a formal member of this committee, I am a visiting one. With the gracious support of the Cathaoirleach I have decided to jump in and, I hope, contribute where I can. I am a new TD and I am also a graduate of London Business School from over a decade ago now. There was a professor I studied under who was an adviser to the President of France who spoke a lot about fiscal unions, fiscal transfers, the capital markets in the European Union and how they should evolve. In the context of the tumult we are experiencing across the Continent, it is important we bring that scrutiny to the affairs of the European Union, especially with the new European Parliament and the new EU institutions. That will be most of my focus and I thank you all so much for having me in.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank all members. We have a wealth of experience in this room at all different levels in the European Union and on a parliamentary basis.

Thank you all and I look forward to working with you.

One item I want to go through is the process for election of a Leas-Chathaoirleach. We do not have to elect a Leas-Chathaoirleach but we are entitled to choose to elect one who can perform the duties and exercise the authority of the Cathaoirleach in his or her presence. I propose we elect a Leas-Chathaoirleach at a future meeting, if that is agreeable. I suggest that nominations be submitted to the clerk by the end of business next Monday, 26 May, if that is agreeable. Members can nominate themselves and nominations do not need to be seconded. At our next meeting on Wednesday, 28 May we will hold the election of Leas-Chathaoirleach. Is that agreed? Agreed.