Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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Tá leithscéal faighte ón Teachta Ged Nash. Apologies have been received from Deputy Ged Nash.

Is mian liom na riachtanais bunreachtúil seo a leanas a meabhrú do chomhaltaí. Nuair atá páirt á nglacadh acu i gcruinnithe poiblí, caithfidh siad a bheith i láthair go fisiciúil laistigh de theorannacha suímh Theach Laighean. Ní cheadófaí do chomhaltaí páirt a ghlacadh i gcruinnithe poiblí nuair nach bhfuil said ag cloí leis an riachtanais bunreachtúil seo. Mar sin, má ghlacann aon chomhaltaí páirt ó lasmuigh den suíomh, iarrfaidh mé orthu an cruinniú a fhágáil. Maidir leis seo, iarraim ar chomhaltaí a dheimhniú go bhfuil siad i láthair laistigh de phurlán Theach Laighean sula ndéanann siad aon ionchur sa chruinniú ar Microsoft Teams. Fiafraítear de chomhaltaí cleachtadh parlaiminte a urramú, nár chóir, más féidir, daoine nó eintiteas a cháineadh ná líomhaintí a dhéanamh ina n-aghaidh ná tuairimí a thabhairt maidir leo ina ainm, ina hainm nó ina n-ainmneacha ar shlí a bhféadfaí iad a aithint. Chomh maith leis sin, fiafraítear díobh gan aon rud a rá a d’fhéadfaí breathnú air mar ábhar díobhálach do dhea-chlú aon duine nó eintiteas. Mar sin, dá bhféadfadh a ráitis a bheith clúmhillteach do dhuine nó eintiteas aitheanta, ordófar dóibh éirí as an ráiteas láithreach. Tá sé ríthábhachtach go ngéillfeadh siad leis an ordú sin láithreach.

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 a member to participate where he or she is 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 any member partaking in the meeting via MS Teams to confirm, prior to making a contribution, that he or she is on the grounds of the Leinster House campus.

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 members' statements are potentially defamatory in respect of an identifiable person or entity, I will direct them to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that members comply with any such direction.

We welcome to the joint committee the Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, to discuss developments in the economy in the year to date. We are living in turbulent times, with international affairs requiring the State to respond in an economically appropriate manner. This committee, in its preparation of its work programme, aims to raise, consider and report on a wide variety of issues within the Irish economy. It intends to consider the impact of Ireland's position on holding Israeli bonds and the impact of tariffs on the Irish economy in the upcoming weeks. These are issues facing Ireland regarding which there is an opportunity for the Government to present a best-practice approach. To this end, the committee will raise these issues with the Minister today. It will also do so with other vital stakeholders. This is the joint committee's first engagement with the Minister in this Dáil term. It is hoped that it is the beginning of a positive and collaborative approach between members and the Government. I invite the Minister to make his opening statement.